Ignacio González denies bribery charges at the first session of the Lezo golf trial

The first session

On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, former Madrid regional president Ignacio González sat in the dock at the Audiencia Nacional as the trial over piece 2 of the 'caso Lezo' opened. Presiding judge Fernando Andreu asked whether he admitted authorship of the facts and the crimes charged, and González answered "No". The four co-defendants also denied the allegations. They are his brother Pablo Manuel González and his brother-in-law Juan José Caballero, both partners of the company TCT, José Antonio Clemente, a third TCT partner, and Ildefonso de Miguel, who was managing director of Canal de Isabel II between 2003 and 2009.

What prosecutors are seeking

The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office asks for six years in prison for all five defendants, as alleged perpetrators of bribery and as necessary cooperators, plus a fine of 550,000 euros. The case concerns two public contracts linked to a golf course run by Canal de Isabel II. According to the case file, the five allegedly plotted from the top of the Canal to promote a plan that would benefit González's relatives by subcontracting TCT for the construction and running of the course. When he closed the inquiry in 2021, investigating judge Manuel García Castellón said of the brother and brother-in-law:

Their brother and brother-in-law held ownership of that company through intermediaries.

The investigation traces the project back to 2003, when Canal de Isabel II commissioned ACS, later Dragados, to build the course. A year later, according to the same investigation, González and de Miguel modified the project to benefit relatives of the then regional vice president. The changes were substantial enough to require a new tender, but the Canal awarded the modification directly to Dragados on condition that it subcontract TCT. The course was dismantled in 2021 after a long neighbourhood campaign. The trial comes nearly ten years after González's arrest and remand in provisional custody.

Madrid city council's standing

The defence of the brother and brother-in-law asked the court to expel the Madrid city council, which has joined the case as a private prosecutor. Their lawyer argued the council had no proven harm and had not even claimed compensation. The prosecution opposed the request, noting that the council is a shareholder of Canal de Isabel II and could therefore be harmed by the acts under trial. The court kept the council in the case, reasoning that it is part of the Canal's corporate structure. The council itself argued:

The council has a legitimate, concrete and current interest in prosecuting the facts, since the outcome of the criminal proceedings directly affects the legal and financial sphere of the corporation.

Schedule ahead

The session lasted 13 minutes and covered only preliminary issues. The defences asked for their clients to testify at the end of the trial, after the witnesses and experts. The court accepted that request, so González's own explanations are scheduled for early November. The parties return on Monday, 19 October.

1. 2003Canal de Isabel II commissions ACS, later Dragados, to build the golf course
2. 2003 (a year later)Investigation says the project was modified to benefit relatives of the then regional vice president
3. 2021Investigating judge Manuel García Castellón closes the inquiry
4. Oct 13, 2026First trial session at the Audiencia Nacional; all five defendants deny the charges
5. Oct 19, 2026Next trial session, with the parties recalled for Monday
6. Early November 2026González's own explanations are scheduled