SPAIN: Health Demonstations & more – 21st Nov 2024

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 21st of November twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

First, In health news, on Sunday the 19th, White Tide or Marea Blanca, organized protests across Andalucía, in the South, where thousands rallied against the crumbling public healthcare system.

Demonstrators protested against long waiting times and severe understaffing in rural areas, demanding systematic changes, as healthcare workers become increasingly burnt out from workloads, causing frustrated patients to worry about safety. In Sevilla, central Andalucia, 6,000 people marched, joined by thousands in other provincial capitals, calling for urgent reforms as Marea Blanca warned of worsening conditions and deaths due to delays.

Next, a weather update. Spain faces continued extreme weather as its state meteorological agency, AEMET, has forecasted heavy rain, strong winds, and snow.

Between Wednesday the 20th and Friday the 22nd, winter conditions heavily affected Galicia, Northwest Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, North Navarra, and the Pyrenees, with heavy rain raising flood alerts.

High-altitude regions, including Asturias and Cantabria, could see upwards of nine inches (around twenty-two centimeters) of snow and extremely strong winds. All regions are on high alert.

Meanwhile, on Sunday the 18th, the local government of Galicia, in the northwest, announced it would implement new flood prevention strategies, in response to the devastating floods in Valencia, in the eastern coast.

Measures to mitigate heavy rainfall damage include legislative reforms, controlled flood zones, and streamlined river maintenance. Galicia has doubled river monitoring stations to nearly 100 and eased permissions for quick debris removal in high-risk areas. The government also plans school campaigns to raise flood awareness. Experts highlight that controlled flood zones, as outlined in Spain’s Water Act, can prevent disasters by restricting construction and managing land use near rivers.

From weather to vandalism. The far-left youth group Arran shared a video on social media on Monday the 18th where its members vandalized the house of the football player Gerard Piqué in La Cerdanya, Northern Catalunya. Arran is the youth division of the Popular Unity Candidacy Party, a far-left, pro-Catalan independence group that has been steadily growing since its foundation in nineteen ninety-one.

The group spray-painted fuera pijos, meaning Out with the Rich, on Piqué's walls as a protest against soaring rental prices in the Pyrenees.

In the video, an Arran member condemned second homes as symbols of inequality, claiming that over 60% of properties in La Cerdanya are used only for only fourteen days a year. Arran criticized wealthy elites who exploit the region for tourism while locals struggle to afford housing.

To watch the video in Spanish, check the link in the show notes!

In immigration news, on Monday the 19th, the government announced plans to legalize approximately 300,000 undocumented migrants a year over the next three years to combat workforce shortages.

Elma Saiz, the migration minister, emphasized the need for foreign workers to sustain the welfare state, stating that Spain has chosen to be an open, prosperous country.

The reforms will streamline work and residence permits, while granting migrants additional labor rights, while providing extended visas for job seekers and students.

In sports, on Tuesday the 19th, Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal announced that he’s retiring from professional tennis following Spain's defeat to the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarter-finals in Malaga, southern Andalucia.

The twenty-two-time Mallorcan Grand Slam champion lost the opening singles match against Botic van de Zandschulp.

The match marked the end of a career spanning two decades, and Nadal expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to compete one final time on home soil in interviews after the match expressing “I leave with the peace of mind that I have left a legacy.”

In the world of Junior Eurovision, a new star has been crowned. On Friday the 16th, eleven-year-old Andria Putzkaradze from Batumi, Georgia, triumphed in the 22nd Junior Eurovision Song Contest held in Madrid, earning 239 points for his song To My Mom.

The win marks Georgia’s fourth victory, cementing its status as the most successful country in the contest’s history.

Portugal came in second with Esperança by Victoria Nicole, while Ukraine's Artem Kotenko claimed third with Hear Me Now. Spain’s Chloe De la Rosa came in sixth with her song Como la Lola.

Heading to the capital now, where the iconic Medellín nightclub chain Perro Negro, opened its doors on Thursday the 14th at a new site in Madrid’s Salamanca district. Its original venue was founded in nineteen ninety-seven in Medellín, Colombia.

Perro Negro is known as a temple of reggaeton and celebrated in Bad Bunny's hit song of the same name. This club has become synonymous with the urban Latin music scene.

Now for a new discovery. On Monday the 18th, archaeologists revealed that they had just discovered nearly forty Napoleonic soldiers’ skeletons in Buitrago del Lozoya, just north of Madrid, in central Spain.

The remains, unearthed during the restoration of the 14th-century Mendoza Castle, are linked to the eighteen eight Battle of Somosierra, a key conflict in Napoleon's campaign to Madrid.

Found in five mass graves near the castle walls, the soldiers, most likely aged between twenty-five and thirty, bore signs of violent deaths, including spear wounds. The artifacts, including uniforms and weapons, are now at home in the Museum of Archaeology in Alcalá de Henares, central Spain.

Since we mentioned Madrid, Spain’s capital is a bustling and busy city, but it’s also a great place to explore nature and get some much-needed exercise.

Madrid offers a variety of hiking trails for all levels, drawing locals and tourists eager to embrace the outdoors.

For panoramic views, tackle the El Cancho de la Cabeza hike in Patones or visit Las Cárcavas, starting at Pontón de la Oliva Dam, with striking landscapes forged by eroding rock.

When you get back from your hike, you might sit down and open up your phone. But what are the most used apps in Spain?

According to similarweb app rankings, WhatsApp leads the pack as the nation’s ultimate app for communication and connections, closely followed by Google Chrome and YouTube.

Spain’s social media of choice is Instagram at fourth place, with Facebook at eleven, and Tiktok at twelve.

Interestingly, ChatGPT is creeping its way up the list, ranking 22nd and becoming the go-to AI tool for productivity.

Now for an exciting event, the 42nd edition of the Titirijai International Puppets Festival will run from the 23rd of November to the 1st of December, transforming the town of Tolosa, in the Basque Country, into a hub for puppetry.

Over ten days, countries from around the world will showcase diverse performances for all ages. Besides performances, the festival features a special Autumn School of workshops run by UNIMA Euskalherria, a federation specializing in puppetry, training, and promoting the artform.

Closing this edition with more art, local artist David Pascual Arroyo spoke to EuroNews on Wednesday the 13th about his battle with bipolar disorder and how art helped him deal with his diagnosis.

The fifty-one-year-old from Fuengirola, southern Andalucia, was diagnosed in two thousand one and initially expressed the darkness of his struggles through somber paintings that mirrored his depression. Over the years, his work has evolved. He had gotten more inspired by nature and his experiences, leading to brighter palettes and vibrant compositions. Today, Arroyo’s art radiates joy, capturing the beauty and spirit of his life on the Costa del Sol, on the southern coast.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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¡Hasta la próxima!