Spain's First‑Lady Begoña Gómez Surrenders Passport After Judge Orders Travel Ban

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado ordered three precautionary measures against Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez: the surrender of her passport, a prohibition on leaving Spain and mandatory court appearances every 15 days, citing a risk of flight. On 24 June 2026 she complied, delivering her passport at the Plaza de Castilla court in Madrid, escorted by security and accompanied by lawyer Antonio Camacho. The same measures were imposed on her advisor Cristina Álvarez, who had already handed in her passport.

Gómez’s defence filed a complaint with the Audiencia Provincial of Madrid, calling the measures “disparatadas” and “offensive”. The General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) has opened a disciplinary inquiry into Peinado’s remarks about the possible involvement of security escorts in a flight risk.

Prime Minister Sánchez denounced the actions in the Congress, saying the precautions “superan todos los límites de lo razonable” and portraying the case as political persecution. Opposition parties have used the development to demand the government’s resignation, while the ruling PSOE faces additional pressure from other corruption cases, such as the recent sentencing of former minister José Luis Ábalos.

The episode limits Gómez’s participation in Sánchez’s upcoming foreign trips, notably the NATO summit in Turkey, and continues to dominate Spain’s political discourse.