The political landscape in Spain has become increasingly contentious following remarks made by Vice President and Minister of Hacienda, María Jesús Montero, regarding a recent ruling by the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Cataluña (TSJC).

Montero’s comments, deemed to have undermined the principle of presumption of innocence, have elicited strong reactions from the Popular Party (PP) and other political allies.

On Monday, the PP expressed outrage over Montero's statements, which labelled the TSJC’s decision to acquit footballer Dani Alves of sexual assault as 'a disgrace.' PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called for Montero's resignation, asserting that the government was failing to uphold critical legal principles.

In an online response, Montero defended her position, stating that the presumption of innocence does not preclude expressing disapproval of systemic questioning of women who are victims of aggression and machismo.

Montero emphasized her commitment to defending victims and asserted that she would not accept 'lessons' or 'misinterpretations' from the PP. Her comments led to a joint statement from judicial and prosecution associations that emphasized the importance of respecting the presumption of innocence and called for Montero’s resignation alongside demands from members of the opposition parties.

The PSOE, Montero's political party, acknowledged that her comments could have been phrased differently but attributed them to a sense of frustration over the judicial outcomes that negatively affect women.

Ester Peña, the party spokesperson, maintained that while verdicts should be respected, it remains vital to have discussions around contentious decisions.

Peña further advocated for robust protections for victims of sexual violence and called on the PP to uphold the presumption of innocence.

In a related development, Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun reiterated his disagreement with the ruling that exonerated Alves, emphasizing the need for a justice system supportive of victims.

He warned against the potential 'revictimization' of those who come forward to report assaults, noting that many instances of sexual violence go unreported due to a lack of faith in judicial responses.

The PP has been vocal in its criticism of Montero, with spokesperson Borja Sémper expressing 'absolute rejection' of Montero’s comments and calling for her to apologize to the judiciary for her remarks.

He asserted that the current administration is devaluing key pillars of democratic society, such as the Parliament and the Constitution.

Sémper also criticized the government's handling of justice, suggesting that it resorts to inflammatory rhetoric in times of political pressure.

In contrasting viewpoints, José Antonio Fúster, the national spokesperson for Vox, characterized Montero's remarks as 'irresponsible' and argued that they attack the foundational aspects of the judicial process.

He condemned Montero's comments as fundamentally undermining the presumption of innocence and indicated that such perspectives should not come from a serving government official.

As the political discourse continues, the tensions around judicial independence and victims' rights remain central issues in Spain's evolving legal and political context.