Right-wing agitator Vito Quiles has sparked a backlash after sharing a video showing him confronting Begoña Gomez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, inside a cafe.

The edited footage, posted on Quiles’ social media accounts, shows him following Gomez as she sits with friends, continuing to film despite repeated attempts by her companions to stop him.

At one point, he refers to the women as ‘charos‘, a derogatory term often used online to insult progressive women.

However, according to government sources, the most serious part of the incident happened before the video begins.

Police complaint filed

Sources from Moncloa say Gomez has filed a police report for alleged assault, claiming Quiles prevented her from leaving the private establishment.

The confrontation reportedly took place inside the cafe, not just in the moments captured on camera.

Officials described the situation as ‘very serious’ and warned against normalising this kind of behaviour.

They also rejected any suggestion that Quiles was acting as a journalist.

‘He was not exercising the right to information – he was harassing and intimidating,’ government sources said, cited by La Sexta.

They stressed that the right to information cannot override basic rights such as freedom of movement or physical integrity. ‘Call it what you want, but this is violence,’ they added.

The government has also questioned why the opposition Partido Popular has not condemned the incident, noting that Quiles has previously appeared at political events linked to the party.

Pattern of controversy

This is far from the first time Quiles has made headlines.

Spanish prosecutors have previously sought a two-year prison sentence for alleged hate crimes and offences against moral integrity, linked to an incident involving a woman with a severe intellectual disability.

He has also been investigated for publishing the home address of Beatriz Corredor, president of Red Electrica.

More recently, consumer rights activist Ruben Sanchez called for a nine-year prison sentence over alleged repeated slander aggravated by ideological hatred.

Quiles has also faced disciplinary action from Spain’s Congress for recording without authorisation inside the parliamentary chamber.

Growing scrutiny

The latest incident adds to mounting scrutiny over Quiles’ methods and behaviour, particularly his confrontational tactics targeting public figures.