Judge's blow to prosecutor García Ortiz following his defense's request

Ángel Hurtado, judge of the Supreme Court leading the case against prosecutor García Ortiz, has replied with a heavy blow to the request from the attorney general's defense.

The State Attorney's Office, defending García Ortiz, requested to open a separate case to investigate the leaks surrounding the case against García Ortiz. However, the judge has dismissed this request, as he believes that the complaint from the attorney general's defense is not justified.

In fact, he considers that Justice in this case must "put a stop" to the information. He also calls for respect for the right "to freedom of expression."

In his ruling, the judge points out that it can't be attributed to the accusations that there is a "parallel trial." But he shakes up García Ortiz's defense again:

"Moreover, even accepting that the accusations were providing information to different media, we are not given a reason to attribute that bias to them. When such a circumstance could be the sole responsibility of the media in question."

He also details that "there is nothing to fear" from the proliferation of a media trial, since it has "no impact" on the judicial process.

Judge's reprimand to García Ortiz's defense

Hurtado also reproaches that in their writing, they only refer to the publication of unfavorable information for the investigated, thus ignoring the publication of the same data in other media. This way, the magistrate indicates the fact that they attempt to place the burden on the popular accusations without providing an "objective fact for a specific attribution to any person."

The 13 prosecutors demanding García Ortiz's resignation

The declaration as a defendant of the attorney general, Álvaro García Ortiz, last Wednesday in the Supreme Court has caused a strong reaction in the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Thirteen prosecutors from the Board of Prosecutors of the Chamber have sent a letter to García Ortiz requesting his "essential" resignation in light of the judicial process he faces for alleged revelation of secrets.

The letter expresses the signatories' concern for the institution's image and credibility.

They consider that the attorney general's refusal to answer the questions of the investigating magistrate, Ángel Hurtado, is an improper attitude. They also warn that the progress of the investigation is causing "intolerable damage" to the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Reasons for the demand for resignation

In the letter, the prosecutors explain that the new developments in the case against García Ortiz make his resignation "essential."

They believe that the institution must remain free from any shadow of doubt and that the attorney general's continuation in office compromises his impartiality.

Among the signatories are prominent figures from the Public Prosecutor's Office. Two former attorney generals lead the list: Consuelo Madrigal (2015-2016) and María José Segarra (2018-2020).

Segarra belongs to the Progressive Union of Prosecutors (UPF), the same association to which García Ortiz is linked. Additionally, the document has been signed by Javier Zaragoza, Jaime Moreno, Fidel Cadena, Rosa Ana Morán, Javier Huete, Antonio Narváez, Manuel Moix, Elvira Tejada, Pilar Martín Nájera, and José Miguel de la Rosa.