Another year goes by, and still the poisonous legacy of the March 11 bombings remains. I wrote this a year ago, but sadly, it still applies: Another anniversary of the Madrid terrorist attacks of March 11, 2004, comes and goes and with it, another storm of acrimony that highlights, in the ugliest way possible, Spain’s divisions. It’s now eight years since bombs planted by Islamic radicals were detonated on trains in or near Madrid during the morning rush hour, killing 191 people and injuring nearly 2,000 more. Enough time, you would think, for society to digest and come to terms with the attack, if not the grief it caused. But as dozens of relatives of those killed gathered … [Read more...] about March 11, again
Archives for March 2013
Tales for Tapas: Rich and poor
On the same day Venezuela’s charismatic president, Hugo Chávez, died the Dow Jones and Financial Times indices broke records, wiping out the losses of the last five years. As capitalism appeared to recover its old swagger, a hero of the Left passed from the scene. The significance of Chávez’s experiment in “21st century socialism” (as he described it) goes beyond Venezuela. His attempt to harness the market to the needs of the poor emerged from a long and well established tradition in the Spanish-speaking world. The shortcomings of his 14 years in power, however, may have had as much to do with oil as with ideology. Chávez’s achievements – and more schools, more clinics, more amenities … [Read more...] about Tales for Tapas: Rich and poor
Do EU migration trends put Spain’s health and pensions system at risk?
According to The Economist’s Buttonwood, “desperate times require desperate measures”. I am sure this is right, times in Spain are certainly getting desperate and many of the measures being implemented in Brussels, far from being radical look much more like continually closing the door after the horse has bolted. The issue Buttonwood draws our attention to in the blog post accompanying this statement is that of migration trends within the euro area and the impact these have on trend GDP growth and structural budget deficits in the various member countries. This is an important issue indeed, since such movements seem to be an unforeseen and largely unmeasured by-product of the current … [Read more...] about Do EU migration trends put Spain’s health and pensions system at risk?
“Why don’t you shut up?”
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who died on Tuesday at the age of 58, had a tense relationship with Spain. Most notoriously, during the 2007 Ibero-American summit in Chile, he repeatedly interrupted José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, telling him that his predecessor as Spanish prime minister, José María Aznar, was a "fascist" who had backed a 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela. Spain's King Juan Carlos grew increasingly irritated with Chávez's diatribe, eventually saying: "Por qué no te callas?" (Why don't you shut up?). … [Read more...] about “Why don’t you shut up?”
La Liga: Double defeat of Barça leaves Real Madrid dreaming of glory
With two games against Barcelona and then Manchester United to contend with in the Champions League, it was widely said to be a season-defining week for Real Madrid and José Mourinho. In what has been a poor season for them so far, trailing the Catalans by a huge gap in the league, Los Merengues were well aware that their season could spectacularly implode and be over by the beginning of March. The record-breaking team that won la liga with 100 points last year threw away their title aspirations this year before Christmas and as the Champions League and Copa del Rey draw was made, it was apparent that the outcome of their season would rest on the outcome of a Clásico, or rather, … [Read more...] about La Liga: Double defeat of Barça leaves Real Madrid dreaming of glory
A closer look at the lost generation
On a day when Spain’s unemployment figures have once again broken records, I was drawn to another set of data which may be equally bleak, but which offers a more subtle insight into how the country functions. A poll commissioned by Cadena SER looks at the attitudes of Spaniards aged between 22 and 30, the so-called “lost generation” who, we have been repeatedly told, can’t find a job, can’t buy a house and hate their politicians. All of that is confirmed in this study, but a breakdown of the figures makes for fascinating reading. The most shocking finding for me was that only 38 percent of young people live exclusively off their own revenue; 21 percent survive with the help of family … [Read more...] about A closer look at the lost generation
US dollar to euro hits 2-month high, as US spending cuts kick in
The US dollar is back in action! America’s currency rose to its highest point against the euro since January 3rd this week, or almost two months, to 0.7659. How come? First, because automatic spending cuts worth $85bn have come into force in the States, following US leaders’ failure to agree a deficit reduction plan. That’s led investors to shelter in the safe-haven greenback. Second, because Italy remains in deadlock, following its weekend election. To put this into context, the US dollar was at 0.732 against the euro at the start of February, meaning it’s since climbed more than 3 cents. A $250,000 transfer is hence worth €8.475 more than a month ago. (Please bear in mind, these are … [Read more...] about US dollar to euro hits 2-month high, as US spending cuts kick in
Tales for Tapas: Catch of the day
With anti-austerity demonstrations, a song for Europe, a pair of Barcelona-Real Madrid encounters, and scandals (royal and otherwise) bubbling along – some people may not have been paying attention to Tuesday’s meeting of the European Union’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council. But when El Sueno de Morfeo have made Eurovision history (or not), when Cristiano and Leo have hung up their boots, and when harmony has returned to Spanish politics, the outcome of the Fisheries Council’s deliberations in Brussels will still be having a profound impact on dinner tables in Spain and beyond. Among the issues discussed at the meeting was the introduction of a ban on throwing unwanted fish caught by … [Read more...] about Tales for Tapas: Catch of the day