The comments made by María Jesús Montero, the First Vice President of Spain, regarding the acquittal of Dani Alves in a sexual assault case have sparked significant controversy, leading to a broad range of reactions from both the government and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).

During a rally over the weekend, Montero, who is also the Secretary General of the PSOE in Andalusia, described it as a 'shame' that the testimony of a victim is questioned, arguing that the presumption of innocence should not be prioritized over the accounts of 'young, brave women' who choose to report abuses by powerful individuals.

This statement has intensified a clash between institutional powers, prompting criticisms from the executive branch that question the functioning of the judiciary.

In a rare alignment, all associations of judges and prosecutors have collectively condemned Montero's remarks, emphasizing the importance of the presumption of innocence as a fundamental right.

In response to the unfolding situation, the PSOE's executive committee met at Ferraz, where the party leadership took a cautious approach, opting not to provide public support for Montero's statements.

This decision has left her in a politically isolated position.

When asked multiple times by various media outlets if she endorsed Montero's words, the party spokesperson, Esther Peña, avoided directly addressing the issue.

She affirmed the necessity to 'respect and abide by' judicial rulings, which Montero appeared to contradict with her comments.

The PSOE is proactively emphasizing that issues of sexual violence will not go unpunished and underscoring its commitment to creating safe spaces for victims.

Peña has focused her responses on the opposition party, the People's Party (PP), asserting that leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo does not uphold the principle of presumption of innocence.

She criticized him for making 'public condemnations' of individuals not yet facing trial, citing the Attorney General as an example of someone Feijóo has condemned 'in a despicable manner.'

Pilar Bernabé, the PSOE’s Secretary of Equality and Government Delegate in the Valencia Region, has described the acquittal judgment as 'difficult to digest' and indicated that the legal battle is not over, as an appeal to the Supreme Court remains possible.

Internal discussions within the PSOE and the government reflect doubts about Montero’s comments, with suggestions that she should publicly rectify her statements to mitigate the impact of the controversy on the party.

No ministers or officials who have been available to the media since the remarks have openly supported her, further complicating her position.

Facing mounting pressure to clarify her statements, Montero responded on social media, where she primarily criticized the PP for what she described as their 'distortions.' She reiterated her stance, stating that the presumption of innocence should not prevent society from expressing its rejection of systematic questioning of victims of gender-based violence.

Montero also attacked the PP, stating it is not suitable to comment on such matters, referencing criticism of the Constitutional Court and their claims regarding various judicial issues.