SPAIN: Amnesty disagreements & more – 15th Feb 2024

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 15th of February twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

Eight people have been arrested and are in custody after two Spanish Civil Guard officers were killed on Friday the 9th while a further two officers were injured and are in hospital.

The Civil Guard, overseen by the Ministry of Defense, patrols Spain's ports, roads, and borders. In Barbate, Cadiz officers combat drug smuggling from North Africa. Tragically, on Friday, officers Miguel Angel Gomez Gonzalez and David Perez Carracedo were killed when suspected smugglers rammed into their patrol boat with a larger speed boat, as shown in a video of the incident.

On Sunday, the 11th, more than a thousand people attended the agents' funerals. The Spanish Guardia Civil Officers' Association says it has been asking for years for "better resources" to fight drug trafficking in the area. Many people are also asking Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Spain's Interior Minister, to resign, condemning him for not protecting officers from the "Powerful boats used by mafias," as it's his responsibility to allocate resources for internal affairs like public security.

Despite Marlaska's critics outside of the government, the executive has endorsed and shielded the Minister, telling local newspapers there's no one "More qualified to face this challenge."

While the executive remains loyal to its party members, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the Partido Popular or PP leader, diverged from party lines on Saturday the 10th.

Since the Partido Socialista Obrero Español, or PSOE's return under Pedro Sanchez, nationalist parties like VOX and PP have consistently opposed government decisions. Under Feijóo, the PP protested against plans to pardon Carles Puigdemont and others involved in the twenty seventeen Catalan independence bid. So, when Feijóo said he supported future pardons on Saturday, it surprised many people, including his party.

Isabel Diaz Ayuso, the PP delegate in Madrid, initially supported Feijóo but later retracted, telling journalists that Spain should never pardon serious crimes. VOX's Santiago Abascal also intensified attacks, accusing Feijóo of lying to Spanish people.

Many speculate that Feijóo is attempting damage control for the PP following threats from the Catalan Independence Party to expose the contents of their secret talks.

Farmers continue to strike in Sevilla this week, but it's expected to become even more difficult as official union strikes are scheduled for Wednesday, the 14th. For almost seven days now, tractors and demonstrations have cut major entrances into Sevilla center.

On Monday the 12th, three farmers were minorly injured in the picket line near Sevilla when a driver tried to run them over with his car while attempting to jump the roadblock. The driver fled the scene but was later arrested.

Moving on..on Wednesday the 14th, Spain and Ireland jointly urged the European Commission to take stronger measures against Israel for its actions in Gaza, particularly in light of the Israeli army's offensive in Rafah. Pedro Sánchez and Leo Varadkar, the Spanish and Irish leaders, respectively, requested a review of the EU's association agreement with Israel, saying the union must respect human rights and democratic principles. They highlighted the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza and called for immediate action to address the needs of Palestinians. Additionally, they advocated for the EU to support The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and promote a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine to co-exist peacefully.

And it's not just the EU that's not on the same page regarding the Israel-Hamas war. Spain's Executive also has different stances.

Yolanda Díaz, Spain's second vice president and Minister of Labor, announced plans to visit the West Bank after an invitation from Nasri Abu Jaish, the Palestinian Minister of Labor. However, José Manuel Albares, Spain's Foreign Minister, stated that the Foreign Affairs Ministry is preparing no such trip. Diplomatic sources suggest that while the Foreign Ministry was aware of Díaz's intentions, nothing is confirmed, citing safety concerns for official visits abroad, especially given the delicate situation in the region. Additionally, without Israel's approval, access to the Occupied Palestinian territories is not possible.

Meanwhile, a weather phenomenon called blood rain is coming to Spain soon.

Spain anticipates significant rainfall this week, which will hopefully improve the current conditions, a consequence of the ongoing drought. It will mainly affect areas in Galicia, Extremadura, and Andalucia, with storms expected in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Gibraltar Strait. However, a weather phenomenon called "blood rain" is expected to accompany these raindrops– tinting them red because of African Sahara dust and dust. Before the 17th century, it was generally believed that when this happened, the rain was actually blood. So, if you see the sky turning red, don't worry, it's not the end of the world, it's just a bit of dust and mud.

Speaking of freak weather. On Sunday the 11th, a man and a woman were left in critical condition, and twelve were injured, including two children, after a falling tree struck them on a ride at PortAventura leisure complex in Vila-Seca, Tarragona.

Higher-than-average winds brought down a tree, crashing into the Tomahawk children's roller coaster. The police have opened an investigation, but the park says the incident is unrelated to the "maintenance and operation of its attractions."

While PortAventura looks at how it can secure its trees, Madrid's Plaza de Santa Ana residents are protesting against plans to remove mature trees for building works. The neighborhood has become an epicenter flashpoint for protests against the felling of trees in the Spanish capital, with activists arguing that alternatives haven't been explored. They say they want to preserve urban green spaces in the capital and protect the environment. According to the Madrid tourism board, just over 50% of the city's streets are tree-lined, with over 30,000 trees dotted around; in comparison, private and public green areas in Barcelona cover around 30%.

As well as mature trees, the Plaza de Santa Ana is also home to statues of Pedro Calderón de la Barca and Federico García Lorca, Spain's two greatest dramatists, and numerous bars frequented by Ernest Hemingway, the late American novelist who famously quoted in his book Death in the Afternoon, "Nobody goes to bed in Madrid until they have killed the night."

Back to Catalunya, on Wednesday the 14th, while others celebrate Saint Valentine, the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament debated bilingualism in Catalan schools. And it didn't start well. Dolors Montserrat, the president of the body, had to ask for order after members from the PSOE accused the PP of monopolizing the debate. In response, the PP accused the PSOE and supporters of delaying the conversation.

The debate originates from a report by MEPs who visited Catalonia in December twenty twenty-three to assess bilingualism across regional schools, advocating for equal treatment of Spanish and Catalan as a constitutional right. Despite tensions, Parliament will continue to debate the issue and vote on fair recommendations to address discrimination against Spanish in Catalonia.

A story for art lovers now...the home of painter and sculptor Antoni Tàpies, Fundació Antoni Tàpies museum in Barcelona, has just opened a new exhibition.

The exhibition titled "Tàpies: The Zen Imprint" explores artist Tàpies's interest in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Japanese monks who spread Zen Buddhism's teachings. It showcases how Tàpies integrated their attitudes, images, and techniques into his own artistic style within the Western tradition. It also explores how Zen Buddhism teachings were received in the USA and Europe during the nineteenth century when it was first introduced by Japanese teachers who went to serve groups of Japanese immigrants.

The exhibition is on until the end of June at the Fundació Antoni Tàpies in upper Eixample, Barcelona.

And finally, for Eurovision fans. Spain will host the Junior twenty twenty-four edition for the first time after France declined because they're hosting the Summer Olympic Games. As Spain finished second in the twenty twenty-three Junior Eurovision Song Contest with Valencian-born Sandra Valero's song Loviu, they were given second hosting choice and accepted. The host city hasn't been announced yet, but the show will be later this year.

That’s it for this week! Thanks for joining us!

Last week we asked you to fill in a survey to get to know you and we got quite a few replies, thank you so so much ! We are very excited, tons of great ideas! We’ll be sharing the link to the survey in the shownotes one more time this week in case you didn’t see it. All respondents will be entered in a lottery to win a cruise in the Mediterranean… just kidding, it's in the South Pacific, but we would love to hear from you! Don’t be shy!

¡Hasta la próxima!