Spain’s government is facing a political storm after several ministers repeated a false claim that a police officer threatened to bomb prime minister Pedro Sánchez—a story later debunked by the country’s own public broadcaster.
It all began with a fake news story published by media outlets close to the government. They claimed that Juan Vicente Bonilla, a former captain from the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Guardia Civil, had fantasized about “placing a car bomb” under the prime minister’s vehicle. However, as independent media soon revealed, the actual content of the conversation was quite the opposite: the officer had joked that it might be the government itself that would plant a bomb against him in retaliation for the corruption probes he was leading into Sánchez’s wife Begoña Gómez, his brother David Sánchez, and former minister José Luis Ábalos.
The scandal deepened when RTVE, Spain’s public broadcaster, published a report acknowledging that the claim circulated by several outlets was indeed false. Despite this, at least four government ministers—including spokesperson Pilar Alegría and Deputy Prime Minister María Jesús Montero—repeated the false claim, publicly accusing the officer of threatening the prime minister.
The grotesque nature of the case has now spilled over into the international press. British newspaper The Times has devoted several articles to the scandal, pointing out the hypocrisy of a government that for months has been attacking the opposition and critical media, accusing them of spreading fake news and being part of a so-called “mud machine”—only for it to become evident that the real mud machine lies within the government itself and its media allies.
To make matters worse, this smear campaign has occurred in parallel with the leak of recordings in which Leire Díez, a former advisor to the Socialist Party (PSOE) now dubbed “the PSOE’s plumber,” is heard trying to obtain compromising material to discredit Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Balas, head of UCO’s economic crimes division. In one of the recordings, she is heard saying: “If Balas is dead, even better.” The objective of this operation seems to be to sabotage or discredit the investigations surrounding the prime minister’s innermost circle.
On Wednesday, June 4th, Ms. Díez held a press conference to explain her actions. She argued that the leaks came from a “private sphere” and that part of her role involved “investigative journalism” because, as she claimed, “it is possible to be a Socialist and a journalist.” She announced her voluntary withdrawal from the party.
Corruption that contaminates everything
The main opposition Partido Popular (PP) has demanded the immediate appearance in parliament of Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the head of the Guardia Civil Mercedes González, and Justice Minister Félix Bolaños. According to the opposition, the events amount to a “dirty and mafia-style war” aimed at shielding the executive from the avalanche of corruption investigations looming over it.
Despite the ongoing scandals, regional presidents—both from the Socialist Party and the Popular Party—will meet with the prime minister this Friday. This gathering has been criticized by media close to the PP, especially given that this Sunday, the main opposition party has called for a large protest against the government and its allies under the slogan “Mafia or Democracy.”
The scandal has even sparked outrage among Socialist ranks, such as regional leader Emiliano García-Page, president of Castilla-La Mancha, who has called for a serious judicial investigation. Beyond the specifics, what lies underneath is a deep institutional crisis, in which the government appears ready to sacrifice the truth, the institutions, and democratic norms to save itself. Why the main opposition party continues to strike political deals with the Socialists amid such revelations is another question altogether.