The harm of seeing the attorney general in the dock

The Supreme Court's decision to bring the Attorney General to trial came as no surprise. It was an expected step after the High Court confirmed his indictment last July for the alleged crime of revealing secrets . That's why the image of the investigated Álvaro García Ortiz alongside the head of state, Felipe VI, at the solemn opening of the Judicial Year, held last Friday, should never have been produced .

The opening of oral proceedings for the first time in a democracy against the head of the Public Prosecutor's Office further underscores the deterioration in the quality of public institutions caused by the government's entrenchment in indefensible positions . Such as the attempt to stop the resignation of someone who, clearly, cannot continue to normally carry out his responsibilities as head of the State Attorney General's Office while legitimately defending himself against the serious charges against him.

That one of his subordinates must legally assume the role of prosecutor in the trial not only represents an unprecedented anomaly, but also unfairly casts a shadow of suspicion over the entire judicial process . Therefore, it is also unacceptable that government spokesperson Pilar Alegría yesterday insisted on maintaining García Ortiz's innocence despite the evidence of a crime suggested by Judge Ángel Hurtado in his ruling. This stance might be understandable before the opening of the trial, but at this point causes perplexity in an administration that claims to respect the justice system.