In a recent ruling, the Madrid court determined that, while the tweet was "unfortunate" and "unbecoming" for a public figure, it does not meet the legal requirements to be considered incitement to hatred, discrimination, hostility, or violence against specific groups.

The controversy began on May 10, 2024, when Echenique responded to statements by the Archbishop of Oviedo, Jesús Sanz Montes, regarding immigration. In his post, the former leader ironically suggested that, "statistically," a priest would be more likely to commit child abuse than a migrant to commit a crime, proposing that "it would be more effective to deport priests than to toughen immigration policy."

The organization Abogados Cristianos filed a complaint, arguing that the message could constitute a crime of incitement to hatred and discrimination, requesting a one-year prison sentence and a six-month fine.

However, the magistrates emphasized that the context is "determining," noting that the comment was a specific reaction to previous statements and not part of a sustained campaign. Furthermore, the ruling clarifies that priests are not a "particularly vulnerable or historically discriminated against" group, a fundamental requirement for applying this type of crime. The court concluded that there was no explicit intention to incite hatred, but rather that the message had an "ironic" and "critical" purpose.

During the trial, Echenique argued that his publication compared "two absurd matters" and that the use of the term "deport" highlighted the ironic nature, as it was an impossible action in that context. Despite the acquittal, the Court warns that the tweet is "the paradigm of what should not be done" by public figures, given the negative impact such messages can have on society, although it insists that this reproach should remain in the ethical or moral sphere, not the criminal one.

The resolution declares costs ex officio and allows for an appeal to the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid within ten days.