Spanish PM Sánchez Denies Health Rumors, Slams Opposition's 'Mud Machine' Tactics

The atmosphere in the Spanish parliament became sharply tense after Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo of the conservative Popular Party (PP) publicly called for the 'declassification' of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's medical history. The deputy based her statement on unconfirmed information published by some online portals, suggesting that the head of government has been receiving treatment for a cardiovascular condition at a Madrid hospital for months. Her speech caused consternation not only on the government benches but also among some of her own party colleagues, who reacted with visible discomfort. Prime Minister Sánchez responded to these allegations via social media, stating unequivocally that he does not suffer from any cardiovascular disease. In his published statement, he emphasized that even if he did, it would not be a problem, as millions of people with such conditions lead normal lives thanks to the public health service—which, he added, the right-wing systematically dismantles. The head of government described the entire process as a 'lavadora de mentiras' (lie-washing machine), a mechanism where unverified information from fringe media enters the mainstream parliamentary debate thanks to opposition politicians. In the history of democracy, the issue of the health of state leaders has repeatedly sparked controversy, oscillating between the right to privacy and state security. An example of extreme secrecy regarding health was French President François Mitterrand, who hid his cancer diagnosis from the public for fourteen years. Minister for the Presidency Félix Bolaños sharply criticized Álvarez de Toledo's stance, accusing her of 'moral baseness' and an attempt to dehumanize a political opponent. This debate coincided with the government's decision to declassify documents related to the attempted coup d'état of February 23, 1981, which the opposition, led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo, tried to equate with the need for transparency in other areas, including alleged corruption scandals linked to the Prime Minister's inner circle.