Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has publicly denied rumours circulating online that he is secretly undergoing treatment for a serious heart condition, dismissing the claims as false and politically motivated.
The allegations, which gained traction over recent days on right-wing social media accounts, originated with a report published by the media outlet Libertad Digital. The article claimed Sánchez, 53, had been receiving treatment for a ‘cardiovascular condition’ at Madrid’s Ramón y Cajal Hospital for ‘months’.
The rumour spread quickly despite swift denials from government sources, who told Spanish journalists that Sánchez was not suffering from any illness and that the claims were untrue. While officials declined to specify whether the prime minister had undergone any recent check-ups at the hospital — which is frequently used by government staff — they insisted there was no medical issue.
Speculation continued to circulate online and in right-wing political circles, with some commentators pointing to Sánchez’s reportedly thinner or more gaunt appearance at public events in recent months as supposed evidence.
After initially ignoring the claims, Sánchez responded publicly on social media following pressure from the right-wing opposition People’s Party (PP).
During a plenary session of parliament on Wednesday, Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo, a PP lawmaker, alluded to the report and demanded that Justice Minister Félix Bolaños clarify whether the prime minister ‘has a health problem’. She also called for information about Sánchez’s health to be declassified, arguing it was in the national interest.
That prompted Sánchez to issue an unusually direct rebuttal online.
‘I do not suffer from any cardiovascular disease, but even if I did, it would not be a problem. Millions of people suffer from such diseases and lead normal lives thanks to the public services that you are dismantling,’ Sánchez posted, taking aim at the right’s support for the privatisation of public healthcare.
In a further message, Sánchez criticised what he described as a familiar pattern of misinformation from his political opponents.
‘The smear machine always works the same way: they launch the rumour from a pseudo-media outlet, their MPs amplify it, and their talk show hosts muddy the public conversation,’ he wrote, suggesting similar tactics had previously been used against members of his family.
In a separate post on X, Sánchez said that after years of predicting the imminent collapse of his governments, his opponents were now ‘spreading hoaxes about [his] health’. He accused the PP of basing its opposition on ‘lies’ and added: ‘This government will be around for a good while longer.’
The prime minister has recently shared videos on social media showing himself mountain biking in snowy conditions and is known to be physically active. He is reportedly an avid jogger and weight-trainer, and played basketball in his youth as part of the Estudiantes Academy between the ages of 12 and 21.
‘I try to do sport because, for politics and especially for the stress and pressure we have, sport is fundamental,’ Sánchez said in a 2023 interview.
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La ultraderecha y la derecha ultra llevan anunciando el fin de este Gobierno desde el primer día. Ahora, además, difundiendo bulos sobre mi salud.
La máquina del fango funciona siempre igual: lanzan el bulo desde un pseudomedio, sus diputados lo amplifican y sus tertulianos…
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) February 26, 2026
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