Podcast Summary: "Las 7 de Hoy por Hoy | El Supremo condena al fiscal general del Estado a dos años de inhabilitación por revelación de secretos"

Host: Àngels Barceló (SER Podcast)
Date: November 21, 2025

Overview

This episode of "Hoy por Hoy" opens with the seismic news of Spain’s Supreme Court sentencing the Fiscal General del Estado (Attorney General), Álvaro García Ortiz, to two years of disqualification from public office for the crime of revealing secrets. The verdict, unprecedented in Spanish democracy, splinters both the political and legal landscape, sparking instant, passionate reactions across the aisle. The team breaks down the judicial reasoning, the political aftermath, legal ambiguities, and public debate around the case, followed by updates on major national and cultural events.

Main Discussion: The Supreme Court’s Conviction of the Attorney General

Key Facts and Context

• Verdict Details: The Supreme Court votes 5–2 (with dissension from its progressive wing), convicting García Ortiz and imposing a €7,200 fine and €10,000 compensation to Alberto González Amador (partner of Madrid’s regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso).
• Speed of Proceedings: The ruling comes unusually fast—only one week after trial closure, without yet issuing a full sentence (00:25–01:22).

"Es la primera vez en democracia que se juzgaba y ahora que se condena al Fiscal general del Estado..."
— Experto Jurídico, 00:57

• Backstory: The controversy began when ex-chief of staff Miguel Ángel Rodríguez spread the false claim that the Fiscalía had offered and then withdrawn a plea deal to González Amador. Journalists involved testified García Ortiz was not their source (01:22–01:54).

Political Reactions

Madrid Regional Government and Ayuso’s Circle

• Ayuso and allies celebrate, calling it a "victory for Spanish democracy" and an individual win vs “el aparato del Estado.”
• Initial silence from the local PP draws attention (02:05–02:51).

"No se concibe en una democracia libre utilizar los medios del Estado para hacer política delinquiendo a costa de un particular."
— Javier Carrera quoting Ayuso, 02:22

National Government

• Outwardly respects the court but expresses “moral rejection” and defends the Attorney General’s innocence.

• Minister Félix Bolaños:

  “El Gobierno tiene el deber legal de respetar el fallo, pero también el deber moral de decir públicamente que no lo compartimos.”
  — Félix Bolaños, 03:01

• Pedro Sánchez, in a historical context, describes the need to protect democracy from those who seek to manipulate or control it (03:19–03:51).

"Defender la soberanía popular y la democracia frente a aquellos que se creen con la prerrogativa de tutelarla o amoldazarla."
— Pedro Sánchez, 03:41

The Opposition (PP)

• Calls for Sánchez’s resignation, citing moral and institutional responsibility.
• Sees the conviction as a touchstone of judicial independence (03:51–05:10).

"La responsabilidad política es del presidente del Gobierno..."
— Político / Analista, 04:04

Podemos and the Left

• Ione Belarra labels the verdict “puro golpismo judicial”—a case of "lawfare" against the left-leaning government (05:42–05:58).

"Estamos ante puro golpismo judicial y ante los intentos por parte de la derecha política y mediática de tirar un gobierno legítimo porque no les gusta."
— Ione Belarra (paraphrased), 05:48

Legal Community Reaction

• Conservative Fiscals: Praise due process but decline further comment until the sentence is published.
• Progressive Fiscals (Inés Herreros, UPF):
  Criticize issuing a verdict without reasoning, likening it to “una ficción” and a problem for democratic legitimacy (06:02–06:37).

"Nos coloca casi en una ficción, como si fuésemos... un Estado no democrático en el que no se fundamentan las resoluciones judiciales..."
— Inés Herreros, 06:21

• Legal Academia (Joaquín Urias):
  Contends the ruling is politically motivated, noting that all journalists denied García Ortiz as their source (06:37–07:11).

"No tengo ninguna duda de que si uno solo de los muchos periodistas... hubiera... confesado que el que me ha filtrado esto es el fiscal general, esa sería la prueba de cargo."
— Joaquín Urias, 07:07

Ongoing Judicial Implications

• The defense strategy of González Amador could invoke the conviction to nullify his own case, but legal experts point out the two cases are formally unconnected (07:11–08:17).

"El fallo que condena el fiscal general del Estado no afecta directamente a la causa por delitos fiscales y falsedad documental... ya que se trata de hechos distintos."
— Isabel Vega, 07:25

Historic and Political Backdrop

• 50 Years of the Monarchy’s Restoration
  Two major formal events, with King Felipe VI honoring Queen Sofía, but former King Juan Carlos I remains uninvited (08:29–09:52).

Regional News Briefs

Castilla y León: Budget Crisis

• For the first time, the regional government fails to approve its budget, reflecting growing parliamentary fragmentation and pre-election tension (09:54–11:07).

"Es la quinta en los seis años y medio de Mañoco como presidente."
— Político / Analista, 11:00

Valencia: Political Controversy

• Valencia’s mayor, María José Catalá, sparks backlash over ambiguous comments on the Franco dictatorship and later attempts rectification (11:23–12:00).

"Es una etapa de nuestra historia que tiene sus lados positivos, sus lados negativos..."
— María José Catalá, 11:32

Social and Cultural Highlights

Architecture & Heritage

• Tenerife church awarded "Best Building in the World" for design, energy, and symbolism (12:17–13:04).

Zaragoza’s Photographic Past

• Restoration of the “minutero” camera revives historic street photography; potential photo museum project in the works (13:04–14:09).

Ornithology Surprise

• Rare American bird species appear in Spain after hurricane Leslie, spotlighting climate change and biodiversity (14:09–15:05).

Zaragoza: Heavy Metal Revival

• 'El Batallador' association aims to revive Zaragoza’s status as Spain's heavy metal capital (15:05–15:44).

Cultural Recommendations

• Film Premieres:
  • Wicked 2, Running Man (dir. Edgar Wright), "Ciudad sin Sueño" (life on the margins), "Alpha" (metaphor for AIDS and adolescence), and the animated "Olivia y el terremoto invisible", a stop motion on family eviction (15:55–16:48).

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "El Supremo inhabilita a Álvaro García Ortiz durante dos años al considerarle culpable de un delito de revelación de secretos."
  — Presentador Principal, 00:25
• "La condena que llega de forma inusualmente rápida."
  — Presentador Principal, 00:54
• "El Gobierno tiene el deber legal de respetar el fallo, pero también el deber moral de decir públicamente que no lo compartimos."
  — Félix Bolaños, 03:01
• "Estamos ante puro golpismo judicial..."
  — Ione Belarra, 05:48
• "Nos coloca casi en una ficción, como si fuésemos... un Estado no democrático..."
  — Inés Herreros, 06:19
• "No tengo ninguna duda de que si uno solo de los muchos periodistas... hubiera... confesado que el que me ha filtrado esto es el fiscal general, esa sería la prueba de cargo."
  — Joaquín Urias, 07:07

Conclusion

This episode captures a moment where Spain’s legal and political tectonics shift over the Supreme Court’s conviction of the Attorney General. The hosts and guests dissect not only the immediate consequences but the deep constitutional, social and institutional questions the ruling raises. Meanwhile, local and cultural stories provide a broader look into Spain’s pulse on a day of historical reflection and regional strife.