crucificar

Literally to crucify, and very commonly used figuratively for being harshly, publicly criticized or condemned — lo crucificaron en la prensa (they crucified him in the press). The figurative sense is at least as frequent as the literal one in everyday and journalistic Spanish.

• Los romanos solían crucificar a los condenados. — The Romans used to crucify the condemned.
• La prensa lo crucificó tras el escándalo. — The press crucified him after the scandal.
• Se sintió crucificado por las críticas de sus colegas. — He felt crucified by his colleagues' criticism.

Don't reserve this only for the literal Roman execution method — in modern usage, the figurative "harshly condemned/blamed" sense is the one you'll hit most often outside a history or religion class.

• quote "¡Fuera, fuera, crucifícale!" — The crowd's cry in the Passion narrative (John 19:6 and 19:15, Reina-Valera Spanish Bible), demanding Pilate crucify Jesus — one of the most repeated lines from the Gospel accounts of the trial.