Portrait of Juan Branco: a controversial lawyer with a turbulent career
Juan Branco, a 33-year-old Franco-Spanish lawyer, is making headlines today. Recently released under judicial supervision in Senegal, he is about to be deported to France. This lawyer with radical positions has stood out for his involvement in various cases and his defense of the Senegalese opponent Ousmane Sonko.
Throughout his career, Juan Branco has aroused both admiration and controversy. In March 2019, his essay “Twilight” met with great success in bookstores, selling nearly 100,000 copies. The young lawyer has also become known on the Internet, where his book has been downloaded more than 100,000 times in open access.
“Twilight” is a political pamphlet in which Juan Branco denounces the links between economic, media and political leaders. He notably attacks Emmanuel Macron and Macronie, claiming that they are not corrupt but that they are corruption incarnate. His words provoked violent reactions, sometimes hailing his political lucidity, sometimes qualifying him as a mythomaniac and manipulator.
Juan Branco has also been involved in high-profile court cases. He was close to the Russian artist Piotr Pavlenski, responsible for the dissemination of a sexual video involving Benjamin Griveaux, candidate for mayor of Paris. This episode led to the removal of Juan Branco in his role as legal defender of Pavlenski.
Alongside his career as a lawyer, Juan Branco became politically involved. He was legal adviser to WikiLeaks and Julian Assange in 2015. In 2017, he ran in the legislative elections under the label of La France insoumise before distancing himself from the party, believing that the solution was not to be found at the inside the political system.
Juan Branco’s career is not without controversy. His detractors describe him as megalomaniac, mythomaniac and manipulator. However, his supporters see him as a fearless defender of human rights and a whistleblower of injustice.
Today, Juan Branco finds himself embroiled in the Ousmane Sonko case, a Senegalese opponent arrested and accused of an attack, conspiracy and spreading false news. His involvement in the case sparked diplomatic tensions between Senegal and France, leading to his arrest and detention ahead of his impending deportation.
Juan Branco’s turbulent career, between political commitment, legal affairs and controversy, makes him a polarizing figure. Whatever we think of him, he leaves no one indifferent and continues to arouse debates and passionate reactions