The wife of the former treasurer of the PP, Rosalía Iglesias, has managed to get the central judge of Penitentiary Surveillance to grant her semi-liberty, that is, in the second degree, after three years in prison for her conviction in the Gürtel case. Now, the couple will be able to enjoy time together in freedom since Luis Bárcenas already had it granted. Although the latter was sentenced to more prison time than his wife, the former treasurer had served pretrial detention, which has served him to achieve a more flexible regime before.
The decision will allow Iglesias to remain free during the day and return to the Alcalá-Meco prison, in Madrid, only to sleep. However, the order makes it clear that he “initially he will not enjoy weekend permits”, although he will be entitled to second degree permits “if he meets the legal requirements in this regard.”
Iglesias entered prison almost three years ago, in November 2020, to serve a sentence of 12 years and 11 months, as established by the Supreme Court. The Criminal Chamber highlighted the “active conduct” of the wife of the former PP treasurer and considers it accredited that Iglesias was aware of the origin of the money and the increase in Bárcenas’ assets.
In the resolution, Judge José Luis Castro explains that the “global conduct of the inmate” and the “increased trust” placed in her must be taken into account, “to the point of allowing the attribution of more important responsibilities that imply a greater margin of freedom.
Iglesias will have to carry out volunteer work and participate in a program of economic crimes and restorative justice.
The magistrate rejects the argument of the existence of a medium-high social alarm. “It is difficult to assume, since the circumstances that have led to the commission of these criminal acts do not currently exist and there has been criminal intimidation for the purpose of criminal reiteration,” the resolution states.
On the other hand, the judge has rejected Bárcenas’s request to go from second to third degree, understanding that “the personal and penitentiary characteristics that allow a life in semi-freedom do not yet exist in view of the criminal versatility, seriousness of the facts and remoteness in compliance dates”.
Bárcenas accumulates 31 years in prison for two reasons, Gürtel and the so-called box b of the PP or Papeles de Bárcenas, although effectively he only has to serve twelve years.
