Eduardo Vela and the stolen babies scandal in Spain: the case, the numbers and what was proven [1940-1990]

Eduardo Vela, a gynecologist in Madrid, was the first figure to face trial in the so-called "stolen babies" case in Spain, a scandal that spanned decades and involved the falsification of records, the separation of newborns from their mothers, and illegal handovers to other families. The trial became symbolic because it helped expose a system that operated for approximately fifty years, between 1940 and 1990.

This scandal affected thousands of Spanish families who were separated from their newborn children, often through fraudulent practices that included the falsification of birth documents and false claims of the babies' deaths. Many mothers were told that their children had died, without being allowed to see the bodies or have any proof of death.

Eduardo Vela was prosecuted as part of this case, becoming the first medical professional to face justice for these crimes. The trial brought to light the scale and systematization of these practices in Spanish maternity wards.

The stolen babies case represents one of the darkest pages in Spain's social and health history, raising profound questions about the rights of women and newborns, as well as about the complicity of health professionals and institutions in such practices.