The spreader of hoaxes Pilar Baselga, a regular in far-right media and circles, has availed herself this Friday of her right not to testify before the judge investigating the falsehood she launched in November 2022, when she said that Begoña Gómez, the wife of Pedro Sánchez, is transsexual and was part of a drug trafficking network. As elDiario.es has learned from sources familiar with the statement before a Madrid magistrate, Baselga has now preferred to remain silent.
She and Eurico Campano, director and presenter of the Distrito TV program in which these hoaxes were spread, went this Friday to the Madrid court that is investigating the case after Gómez filed complaints against them in March 2023, considering that the hoaxes launched about her by the ultra agitator “can be clearly classified as crimes of insults and slander.”
Although Baselga has avoided answering the questions from all parties, Campano has responded to those asked by the judge and his own lawyer. The sources consulted by this newspaper have explained that the communicator has evaded any responsibility regarding the false accusations made by his talk show host. After the statements of both accused have been taken, the procedure continues in the investigation phase and both the judge and the parties must clarify in the coming weeks whether they request any other procedure.
On November 22, 2022, Baselga made the following statements on the program 'Los Intocables' on the far-right television Distrito TV: “Our dear first lady, well second lady because the first is the queen, I dare say that there are suspicions that Initially it was 'Begoño'. This wife of the president or husband comes from a family with a tradition of gay saunas, this must be said.”
Possible “slander and serious insults”
Then, Campano blurted out to Baselga that “that”, Gómez's alleged transsexuality, had already been published, to which the hoax spreader responded: “That is published. It is also published, I can't remember in which more alternative media, obviously, that eh…the first thing that…as soon as Pedro Sánchez arrived at the Moncloa, 'Begoño' was immediately appointed Director of a Master's degree at the Complutense. Then she started working for a business institute with a program with Africa, and it turns out that there they set a trap for her, or who knows, and they have involved her in a drug trafficking issue in Morocco (…) And, therefore Seen, the Moroccan secret services have evidence that Begoña Gómez is involved, would be, would be involved in drug trafficking issues in Morocco.”
In her complaint, to which elDiario.es had access, Begoña Gómez considered that, with her statements in the aforementioned program, Baselga said that Sánchez's wife “was born a man and that she subsequently changed her sex to that of a woman, as something that has hidden from public opinion.” Furthermore, the text noted, the hoax spreader “attributes to her the commission of international drug trafficking crimes, which, in addition to her falsehoods, threaten her professional reputation, by pointing out that she was fired for this reason and had to return some amounts paid, which is equally false.”
Thus, Gómez's defense understands that the facts cited “can be classified as slander and serious insults, carried out with publicity and without in any case being able to allege exceptio verititatis in the face of the absolute obvious and obvious falsehood of the demonstrations.”
“Attributing to any person false facts about their privacy is in itself insulting and harms this, but in addition in this case it is about harming Mrs. María Begoña Gómez on an individual level and as the wife of the President of the Government and Secretary General of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, indicating that he was born a man and that he changed his sex with the clear intention of offending his honor,” the complaint added.
Gómez criticized the agitator's transphobia
For Sánchez's wife, Baselga's statements are especially serious because “a false sex change that is used in a pejorative and mocking manner” and because “in that tone of mockery, in an absolutely cheerful manner and without any verification of the information, beyond the mere reference to third parties, as if it were true information” Gómez was attributed “involvement in international drug trafficking crimes.”
That demonstration was carried out, according to the lawyers of the wife of the head of the Executive, “with knowledge of its falsehood or at least with absolute contempt for the truth, to attack her, her husband and her ideological environment.” “With this same motivation and knowing that it is equally false, those requested also affirm that Mrs. María Begoña Gómez Fernández has been fired from her job for these false facts and forced to return remuneration for her services, which, in addition, damages her reputation. professional”, settles the complaint.
Gómez's lawyers demand that the two disseminators of hoaxes apologize “publicly and conspicuously for this in the same media and using the same media in which the statements were made or if there is no other media of a similar nature.” And they also request compensation of 100,000 euros for Gómez.
After the controversy generated by Baselga's statements that, days later, Campano himself – in addition to being the presenter and director of the program – described as “absolutely regrettable”, the ultra network asked the hoax broadcaster to send a video to clarify its words. She chose, instead, to send an ambiguous message: “It has been a mistake on my part to interpret the information that is being disseminated through various social networks of Spanish media.”
According to him, his words were “misinterpreted.” “It has never been my intention to offend anyone since transsexuality has been present in my family circle for almost 20 years,” she stated.
In his peculiar career, Baselga accumulates different falsehoods and conspiracy theories such as those of Bar España – the lies against public officials for an alleged pedophile plot linked to the 'Alcàsser case', the Royuela File, the alleged electoral fraud in Spain, the “satanist Khazarian agenda”, black magic, modern art and even the COVID-19 pandemic.
