At the penultimate hearing in the trial before the Provincial Court of Castellón on Monday, the blogger Ramón Valero, known online as “Un técnico preocupado”, read out a retraction. He stressed that he had “never” intended to denigrate those affected. At the same time, he admitted that at first he had not been sure whether the story about the so-called “Bar España” case was entirely fabricated, and pointed to numerous online posts that had made it seem plausible. Two co-defendants, Juan Lankamp and Gabriel Hernández, invoked their right not to give evidence. The activist, who is also a defendant, Pilar Baselga said that she had believed “everything” that had been circulated about the case and, by her own account, had relied on material from others.
The trial concerns six people accused of spreading serious, unsubstantiated allegations. For years, these false claims linked the name “Bar España” to an alleged criminal conspiracy involving politicians, a judge and others. According to consistent testimony at earlier hearings, the narrative originated largely with the now-deceased hairdresser Reinaldo Colás . Several witnesses, including people approached when they were minors, said Colás had influenced or pressured them to make false statements. Colás’s daughters reaffirmed in court that their father had fabricated the story.
Prosecutors and independent investigations had already pointed out that the supposed leads and alleged evidence were not reliable. Accordingly, the current proceedings are not focused on old, never-proven offences, but on the legal consequences of spreading the story online: reputational damage, psychological distress and the ongoing defamation of those named. According to the court, the remaining hearings will cover closing arguments and possible civil and criminal consequences for the defendants. Media reports say the prosecution is seeking prison sentences of up to seven years and six months, depending on each defendant’s role, as well as compensation payments.
The case has had an impact beyond Province of Castellón : the story was spread on social networks for years and embellished with ever more unsubstantiated elements. The court is now establishing responsibility for the digital part of the campaign and examining the extent to which individual posts, videos and public appearances by the defendants caused quantifiable harm. A verdict is still pending.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).