The People’s Party (PP) has accused Javier de Paz, director of Movistar Plus+, of refusing to cooperate with a parliamentary investigation into alleged political influence over public broadcasting due to “fear for his professional future,” according to sources within the party cited by El Mundo on April 17, 2026.
The accusation stems from de Paz’s refusal to testify before the Congress of Deputies’ Committee on Culture and Sport, which is examining whether public service broadcaster RTVE has faced undue pressure from the Spanish government to alter its news coverage in favor of the ruling coalition. The PP alleges that de Paz, as a senior executive at Telefónica’s streaming platform Movistar Plus+, holds relevant information about potential coordination between private media entities and public institutions regarding content strategy during electoral periods.
In a formal letter to the committee’s presidency, the PP’s spokesperson on culture, Miguel Tellado, stated that de Paz’s non-appearance “cannot be justified by institutional neutrality when his role places him at the intersection of public policy and private media strategy.” Tellado added that the PP believes de Paz is “withholding testimony not out of legal constraint, but due to apprehension about repercussions within Telefónica’s leadership structure should he disclose internal discussions involving government liaisons.”
Movistar Plus+ has not publicly responded to the PP’s allegations. The company’s communications department declined to comment on whether de Paz had been instructed not to testify or if internal guidance had been issued regarding participation in parliamentary inquiries. A spokesperson for Telefónica confirmed only that de Paz remains in his position as director of content and partnerships for Movistar Plus+, a role he has held since 2022.
The committee’s investigation, initiated in January 2026 following a motion by Vox and supported by the PP, has so far heard testimony from former RTVE executives, media regulators, and independent journalists. No date has been set for a potential future summons of de Paz, and the committee’s bureau has not indicated whether it will pursue compulsory attendance measures under parliamentary procedure.
