The arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday by Magistrate of Investigation Court Number 32 in Madrid. The order was issued within the framework of a proceeding opened in that body following a publication by Quiles concerning María Jesús Montero, the Spanish Vice President and Minister of Finance. Quiles stated in his video that neither he nor his legal representatives were aware of the specific reasons for the arrest, noting that police had already visited his home and workplace in an attempt to locate him.
Quiles has refused to attend a police station voluntarily, a step that sources from his law firm, Ospina Abogados, indicated was initially planned for Thursday. He accused the Spanish government of conducting a “judicial and media hunt” against him, linking the recent legal pressure to his previous public confrontation with Begoña Gómez, the wife of the Prime Minister. Quiles argued that the government is using the judicial system to target individuals who are “uncomfortable” for the administration.
In the video, Quiles referenced several ongoing corruption investigations involving members of the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), including cases involving Begoña Gómez, former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and Leire Díez. He questioned the normality of police actions against journalists and activists in a “consolidated democracy,” asserting that the legal proceedings were a result of a “massive denunciation campaign” by Sánchez’s inner circle.
Quiles drew a direct parallel to the case of Carles Puigdemont, the former Catalan president who fled to Belgium to avoid Spanish justice, stating, “If you have the same luck as with Puigdemont, we can be like this for days.” This comment underscores the potential for a prolonged legal standoff between the activist and Spanish authorities.
Quiles has a history of legal disputes, including a criminal case for appearing at the home of Beatriz Corredor, president of Red Eléctrica, where he criticized her response to the April 2025 power blackout. Additionally, he was involved in an alleged assault on political analyst Sarah Santaolalla. However, sources indicate that proceedings in both of these specific cases have been provisionally dismissed, leaving the current arrest warrant’s precise legal basis unclear to the public.
Quiles, who has conducted a political tour of Spain, views the current situation as evidence of systematic political repression. His decision to evade capture, rather than clarify the matter at a police station as initially advised by his legal team, has escalated tensions between the digital activist and the central government.
