Spain's top prosecutor to face trial over alleged leak of tax inquiry information

Álvaro García Ortiz, Spain's attorney general, will become the first to face trial in the country's democratic history. The Supreme Court has upheld a judge's decision to prosecute him for allegedly leaking confidential information in a tax fraud case against Alberto González Amador, partner of Madrid's regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, of the PP party. García Ortiz is a political appointee of the rival PSOE party.

The court found sufficient evidence that García Ortiz disclosed a private email from González Amador's lawyer, which admitted two corporate tax offences in 2020 and 2021. According to the investigation, the prosecutor leaked the email to the media in March 2024 to counter a public narrative that the public prosecutor's office had offered González Amador a plea deal - a version promoted by Ayuso's chief of staff.

The Supreme Court rejected earlier claims linking the leak to instructions from the Prime Minister's office and ruled this detail irrelevant. It also exonerated Pilar Rodríguez, head of the Madrid Provincial Prosecutor's Office, citing insufficient evidence of her involvement.

García Ortiz is not stepping back or resinging however, leaving the awkward situation for many in the judiciary of having to process the trial of one of their bosses. Some associations of judges have complained.

The government is continuing to back the attorney general believing he is innocent.