There was a time when Pedro Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, and María Cristina Álvarez, Moncloa’s advisor, were two soul mates. They laughed in unison, dressed similarly and shared confidences. They arrived together at the Complutense University and with her they celebrated the Women’s Day demonstrations, rallies and other events. In the videos of the June 2018 motion of censure, she is seen in the guest gallery applauding and supporting Sánchez’s wife in her emotion. But it was an almost ghostly presence, almost a shadow of Begoña of which only the outlines could be distinguished. His name appeared when a former vice-rector of the Complutense accused the first lady of Moncloa of using a public advisor for her professorship.
Today citizens already know the face of this woman and a few more touches. She appears as director of programs in the Ministry of the Presidency, as well as manager of Begoña Gómez’s personal affairs. She entered the Moncloa organizational chart on July 16, 2018 as one of Pedro Sánchez’s advisors in Moncloa. Until then, they had a great friendship after working for years at the marketing company Inmark.
The withdrawn and taciturn gesture with which she has been portrayed these days has nothing to do with the choral joy that she exuded months ago. As revealed by former vice-rector Juan Carlos Doadrio before Judge Juan Carlos Peinado, the wife of the President of the Government used to appear at the university accompanied by María Cristina Álvarez. Without assigned institutional functions, she worked as Gómez’s personal secretary. In the two meetings she had in her office when the chair was established, she was present. In addition, Gómez’s defense has delivered emails to Judge Peinado that confirm that María Cristina acted as his assistant in procedures related to Begoña Gómez’s chair and other labor matters. Your email appears as the recipient in all exchanges. Two of them expressly address her with the heading “Dear Cristina.”
While Gómez faces charges of influence peddling, business corruption, misappropriation and intrusion, his secretary could have misused a public office for private purposes. His name complicates the defense of Sánchez’s wife. In his appearance on Friday before the Senate Commission investigating the case, Ábalos availed himself of his right not to testify, refusing to answer the senators’ questions. Dressed in black and with her hair carelessly tied up, she pointed out with a defiant look: “I appreciate the interest in me, but given that the issues in which they are interested are judicialized, I take advantage of my right not to testify.” His silence, which only increases the controversy over the alleged arrangements made for the wife of the President of the Government, will not stop the progress of the investigation.
According to the case summary, could have collected information so that Gómez could register software under his name and he would also have requested funds to finance the chair that he co-directed at the Instituto de Empresa.