The legal proceedings involving the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the President of the Community of Madrid, have taken a new turn as Alberto González Amador returns to court this Tuesday to testify. The case centers around allegations made by Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Ayuso’s chief of staff, who is under investigation for spreading images and personal information about two journalists from *El País* without their consent. These journalists had been investigating Ayuso's alleged tax fraud and the purchase of her shared residence with González Amador. The judge is examining whether Rodríguez was instructed by González Amador to send these photographs, which were later used to spread false accusations against the reporters.
The events leading to this trial date back to March 2024 when *elDiario.es* uncovered that the Public Prosecutor's Office had accused González Amador of defrauding over 350,000 euros using a network of fake invoices. Shortly after this revelation, it was also disclosed that Ayuso and her partner lived in a property purchased by González Amador following the alleged tax evasion. In the early stages of the scandal, Ayuso and her circle actively defended González Amador, questioning both the Spanish Treasury and the Public Prosecutor's Office while criticizing the media outlets reporting on the case.
Rodríguez, acting as Ayuso’s right-hand man, took on a dual role in defending González Amador—both institutionally and as a liaison with the media. He reportedly issued written threats to a journalist from *elDiario.es*, warning them that they would face closure. Ayuso downplayed these threats, suggesting they were merely conversations among "trusted individuals." Meanwhile, Rodríguez orchestrated a strategy to undermine the media coverage by leveraging his connections with numerous outlets that follow institutional news related to Ayuso.
A few days after making these threats, Rodríguez disseminated a rumor claiming that journalists from *elDiario.es* had attempted to violently assault his home. Additionally, he circulated photos of two reporters from *El País* who had approached the property, falsely accusing them of harassing neighbors, including minors. This misinformation was published in several media outlets, some of which have since removed the content. Extremist figures on the far-right utilized these images to target the *El País* journalists.
Following complaints from the PSOE and the journalists themselves, the courts initially rejected opening a criminal investigation into the disclosure of secrets. However, the Provincial Court of Madrid ordered the initiation of criminal proceedings against Rodríguez.
In May, Rodríguez appeared before the courts in Madrid’s Plaza de Castilla as an indicted defendant. When speaking to the press outside the courthouse prior to his testimony, Rodríguez claimed that the photos of the journalists had been sent to him by an angry neighbor of Ayuso and her partner. During his court appearance, however, Rodríguez admitted that the source of the images was not a neighbor but González Amador himself. He acknowledged that he had misstated the origin of the photos and confirmed that he did not retain the messages used to spread the rumors and the images of the journalists. His statement concluded with a vague remark, leaving further details unclear.
4 reports
infoLibreIndependentCenter2 days agoA Spanish court has dismissed a case against Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, the chief of staff to Madrid's regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, over allegations that he shared the names of two journalists from El País. The judge ruled there were no indications of a crime involving disclosure of confidential information, noting that the data was not obtained illegally. The case stemmed from a message sent by Rodríguez in March 2024, which included a photo of the journalists and accused them of harassing residents, including minors. The ruling followed testimony from Ayuso’s partner, who confirmed that the photo was provided by a neighbor, not by authorities. The Socialist Party (PSOE) and El País had previously claimed the information was obtained unlawfully.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the judicial decision without overt ideological slant, focusing on legal reasoning and procedural outcomes. While the incident involves high-profile political figures, the framing remains neutral, emphasizing the court's findings rather than taking sides in the broader political
elDiario.esIndependentCenter2 days agoA Spanish court has dismissed a case against Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, the chief of staff for regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who was accused of revealing the identities of two journalists from El País investigating a tax fraud case involving Alberto González Amador. The judge ruled that the information did not come from the police officers who identify the journalists but rather from a neighbor and was already known to Rodríguez. The ruling comes after the PSOE, which led the public prosecution, plans to appeal the decision. The judge noted that the message sent by Rodríguez contained no confidential or personal data and lacked evidence of illegal acquisition.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the judicial decision and the arguments from both sides without overtly favoring either the accused or the prosecution. It reports the judge’s reasoning, the claims made by Rodríguez and González Amador, and the PSOE’s intention to appeal, maintaining a balanced narrative. There
elDiario.esIndependentCenter4 days ago Ayuso's partner acknowledges that he passed the photo of two journalists to Miguel Ángel Rodríguez but says he deleted the conversationThe article reports on a legal case involving Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, who is accused of leaking information about two journalists from El País to the public. Alberto González Amador, the partner of Madrid President Isabel Díaz Ayuso, appeared before a judge investigating Rodríguez. González Amador admitted he passed a photo of the journalists to Rodríguez, whom he claims is responsible for security and communication for Ayuso. However, he denied other allegations, including that Rodríguez was responsible for the safety of Ayuso. The case involves whether Rodríguez shared false information about the journalists' activities, which were later published by media outlets. The investigation continues as the judge considers further actions.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both sides of the allegations against Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, quoting statements from Alberto González Amador while also noting discrepancies between his account and previous claims made by Ayuso’s chief of staff. It does not take a clear ideological stance but rather reports on
elDiario.esIndependentCenter4 days ago The couple of Ayuso declares in court for the signaling of Miguel Ángel Rodríguez to two journalistsAlberto González Amador, the partner of Madrid President Isabel Díaz Ayuso, is set to testify before a court regarding allegations that he sent photos of two El País journalists to Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Ayuso’s chief of staff. The images were shared under the false claim that the journalists had harassed residents of Ayuso’s home, including minors. This occurred after elDiario.es exposed tax fraud involving González Amador, which led to widespread media coverage. Ayuso and her team initially defended González Amador, questioned authorities, and criticized the media. Rodríguez reportedly threatened a journalist from elDiario.es, stating they would 'crush' the outlet. He also spread misinformation about the journalists attempting to assault his residence. Although initial legal action was rejected, the Provincial Court of Madrid ordered criminal proceedings against Rodríguez for leaking private information.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced account of the situation, detailing both the accusations against Rodríguez and the actions taken by Ayuso’s administration. It includes quotes from multiple sources and does not exhibit overtly biased language or selective sourcing.
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