In a letter to Justice Minister Félix Bolaños, García Ortiz framed his decision as one rooted in “profound respect” for the judiciary. In his resignation, he wrote: “Though my decision stems directly from the ruling, I’m convinced that I’ve faithfully served the institution to which I am honoured to belong, with an unequivocal vocation for public service, a sense of duty and institutional loyalty.”

The scandal centres on a widely publicised tax-fraud probe into Alberto González Amador, the partner of conservative Madrid leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso. The Supreme Court (by a 5–2 majority) convicted García Ortiz under Article 417.1 of the penal code for unlawfully disclosing state secrets, in particular, leaking an email from González Amador’s lawyer. He was therefore sentenced to a two-year ban from office, fined €7,200, and ordered to pay €10,000 in damages.

For the Sánchez administration, the verdict leaves a bitter taste. García Ortiz had long been a trusted ally, and his conviction intensifies concerns over the politicisation of prosecutorial offices. The Guardian reports that the government spokespeople expressed disagreement with the ruling, lamenting that the court issued the verdict in public before releasing a full written judgment, calling that a “worrying precedent” that sparked “stupefaction” among citizens.

Legally, the case raises profound questions for Spain’s judiciary. This is the first time a sitting Attorney General in modern Spain has been criminally tried and convicted. Critics argue it could undermine public trust in prosecutorial independence, fuelling fears that judicial decisions are being wielded as political weapons. The split ruling (with two dissenting judges) underscores how fraught the judicial terrain has become.

García Ortiz, however, retains the right to appeal, first to Spain’s Constitutional Court, and ultimately to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.