Spanish Journalist Faces Arrest for Criticizing Government
A Madrid court issued an arrest warrant for journalist Vito Quiles after he missed two hearings in a slander case filed by a Treasury official seeking €50,000 in damages.
National Police officers reportedly visited the Madrid offices of EDA TV (Estado de Alarma TV), the online channel where Quiles works, to execute the warrant. He was not present at the time, and officers subsequently went to his residence. As of the morning of July 3, authorities had not located him.
Judge Rosa María Freire of Madrid’s Juzgado de Instrucción No. 32 issued the warrant after Quiles failed to appear for summonses on June 9 and June 25. The proceedings concern allegations of a continued crime against honour.
Treasury Official Files Private Complaint
The case originates from a private complaint filed by a Treasury civil servant with 41 years of service. The official alleges that Quiles publicly claimed on platforms including Telegram and TikTok that he was an advisor to Finance Minister María Jesús Montero and had been released from prison through her intervention.
The complainant has characterized these claims as entirely false and says they resulted in public harassment, insults, and threats. He is seeking €50,000 in damages for moral and professional harm, asserting that Quiles published his full name and photograph.
Judicial sources emphasized that the warrant is a procedural measure intended to bring Quiles before the court for questioning after he ignored two summonses. They maintain it is not directly connected to his other reported confrontations with government officials.
Quiles responded dismissively to the allegations, stating he did not remember making such claims about a Treasury official and had not received any formal notification. He rejected the action as political persecution and linked it directly to his recent public interactions with the inner circle of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Claims of Political Persecution
In posts on X, Quiles connected the arrest warrant to what he described as a mass denunciation campaign by Sánchez’s entourage following a public encounter with the Prime Minister’s wife, Begoña Gómez. He accused the government of weaponizing the justice system against political opponents.
In a video message, he questioned whether it was normal in a consolidated democracy for police to remove journalists from their workplace simply because they are uncomfortable for the government and because they bother the Prime Minister.
Quiles has vowed not to surrender to Sánchez’s government and claimed that Argentine President Javier Milei has offered him refuge in the Argentine embassy in Madrid should circumstances deteriorate. He said he maintains regular communication with Milei and has received explicit support and an offer of protection. Spanish and Argentine media reports have corroborated that Milei extended this option.
Lawyer Calls Measure Disproportionate
Quiles’ lawyer, Juan Gonzalo Ospina of Ospina Abogados, characterized the arrest warrant as disproportionate and said the defense had not received formal notification initially. The legal team confirmed plans for a voluntary appearance before the court.
Quiles has faced multiple legal complaints in recent years, including allegations of harassment, illegal recordings, and other offenses. In May 2026, he was temporarily stripped of his Congress press accreditation following an incident involving recording in a prohibited area. Some cases against him have been archived while others remain active.
Spanish authorities have not issued detailed public comment beyond confirming the execution of the court order. Under Spanish law, such warrants are standard procedure when an investigated person fails to comply with summonses, with the aim of ensuring their appearance before a judge.
With information from Brussels Signal
