In a brief statement, the court said it had “opened an investigation into the alleged offence of influence peddling and corruption in business against Begoña Gómez”.

It said the investigation began on April 16 and was “subjected to a secrecy order”.

It gave no further details but the statement was issued several hours after online news site El Confidencial published a story saying investigators were looking into Gomez’s ties to several private companies that ended up receiving funds and public contracts from the government.

It said the probe was linked to the alleged ties she had with Spanish tourism group Globalia, which owns Air Europa.

These are alleged to have taken place when the carrier was in talks with the government to secure a huge bailout after it was badly hit by the plunge in air traffic due to the Covid-19 crisis.

At the time, Gómez was running IE Africa Center, a foundation linked to Madrid’s Instituto de Empresa (IE) business school, a position she left in 2022.

El Confidencial said IE Africa Center had “signed a sponsorship agreement with Globalia in 2020” and that Gómez had also “held a private meeting with its CEO Javier Hidalgo at the company’s offices.

At the same time Globalia was negotiating a multi-million euro bailout with the government”.

In November 2020, Sánchez’s government offered a €475-million lifeline to Air Europa.

Asked about the story in parliament on Wednesday, Sánchez said he had faith in the justice system.

“On a day like today, after the news I’ve heard, despite everything, I still believe in Spain’s justice system,” he said.

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Manos Limpias, which filed the complaint, is headed by Miguel Bernad, a lawyer who was sentenced to four years in 2021 for his role in a scheme to extort major companies.

But he was acquitted by the Supreme Court last month for lack of evidence.

Asked about the El Confidencial story in parliament on Wednesday, Sánchez said he had faith in the justice system.

“On a day like today, after the news I’ve heard, despite everything, I still believe in Spain’s justice system,” he said.

But the right-wing opposition Popular Party (PP) demanded explanations.

“It is imperative that the prime minister holds a press conference to explain,” Ester Muñoz, a senior PP official said.

“This family is being investigated by the court… it is important enough that the prime minister explains himself to the Spanish people.”