“In this procedure, three people are being investigated, I’m going to ask you if you have any type of relationship with them. Do you know Juan Carlos Barrabés?», Asked Judge Juan Carlos Peinado to Pedro Sánchez. “No”The President of the Government responded categorically and then returned to his chair. It was a surprising response, since Barrabés He told the judge all sorts of details about the multiple meetings that he had with Pedro Sánchez. Begoña Gómez’s partner said that he had attended a meeting with him in Moncloa, greeted him at events and even met him in Benasque (Aragon). As revealed by OKDIARIO, Sánchez was part of Barrabés’ group of friends during his escapades in the Pyrenees.
Pedro Sánchez’s statement before Judge Peinado lasted only one minute and 52 seconds, but that short time was enough for the President of the Government to leave a surprising answer. The judge who was investigating his wife Begoña Gómez for influence peddling and corruption in the business world asked him to explain his relationships with the people being questioned and Sánchez said that he did not know any of them, except his wife. Carlos Barrabés, on the contrary, explained in his testimony on June 15 during his meeting with Pedro Sánchez: “TheOr I looked and I think it was in Benasque. I come from a town in the Pyrenees and one day the Business Association called us for a meeting, it was in 2015, and there were about forty businessmen. […] He gave a lecture and I greeted him there and I think that’s where I met him.
After that, the judge asked the businessman how many times he had met Sánchez, and Barrabés replied: “Andeither I remember several times, then in a conversation once who welcomed me and I don’t know if there is anyone else.” In this way, the one who was a partner of the master promoted by Begoña Gómez assured that the president himself went to talk to him even though Sánchez says he does not know him. Barrabés has a legal obligation to tell the truth when appearing as a witness; otherwise, you could incur the crime of perjury.
Meeting in Moncloa
The judge decided to change Carlos Barrabés’ status from witness to investigated after his first statement. Therefore, I had to testify a second time on August 1st and this time as an investigator, what was previously called an accused. During this appearance, they asked him if he had met Pedro Sánchez and the answer was affirmative. He also said that he had met Begoña Gómez at the Moncloa Palace.
“we meet to talk about what I know, about innovation. And me, even if the consulting company may seem small to you, in reality it is very important for Spain because we are always with many large companies. We know the market very, very well and what is happening, we know what happens to small and medium-sized companies. So everyone has always asked me, from all parties, not just political parties, from anywhere, they have asked me how the country is. It is a normal thing. It has happened to me all my life. I have been like this for 30 or 35 years, I saw it as normal, I thought that businessmen did this”, he explained to the judge.
Sánchez even acknowledged at a public event that he knew the Barrabés family and its business history. It was the January 22, 2021 in Zaragoza on the occasion of his intervention at the presentation in Aragon of the Recovery planthe program that channels European funds to repair the damage caused by the Covid-19 crisis, when Sánchez publicly congratulated Barrabés and admitted that he knew him personally. The contracts investigated by the Civil Guard and that Barrabés subsequently won were financed precisely with European funds.
The Benasque clan
Barrabés was recommended by Begoña Gómez to receive millionaire government public rewardscurrently under judicial investigation. The businessman frames his first contacts with Pedro Sánchez in the Pyrenees. As revealed by OKDIARIO, Barrabés and Sánchez belonged to the Benasque clan, which consisted of a network of socialist leaders, senior officials, businessmen and entrepreneurs united by their passion for the mountains, politics and business.
Sánchez has known the ski slopes of the Pyrenees since he was a teenager. The leader of the Executive has not stopped visiting this place since becoming secretary general of the socialists in 2014. That year, he went to Cerler (Huesca), next to Benasque, stronghold of Carlos Barrabés, to practice snowboarding. The following year was in Benasque and met with businessmen and social workersas Barrabés tells the judge. There are also photographs that attest to this visit. Pedro Sánchez’s relationship with Carlos Barrabés was forged thanks to this snow destination and, upon his arrival in Moncloa, the socialist leader and his wife took advantage of this profile for his professional development.
Meeting with social and economic groups of the Benasque Valley. In @Psoe We are committed to rural development pic.twitter.com/0sccaJPT0N
– Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) April 4, 2015
