The news that Julian Assange has requested the services of Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón to represent him as he seeks political asylum in Ecuador was unexpected, but the teaming up of these two men does, in a way, make perfect sense. Wikileaks founder Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since June. He hopes to be given refuge by the South American country and avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces sexual assault charges and, he claims, the possibility of being handed over to the United States to face accusations of espionage. Assange is a globetrotting maverick who has uncovered corruption and abuse and claims to have been framed by trumped-up legal … [Read more...] about Assange and Garzón: what took them so long?
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The regions’ role in the seemingly unstoppable slide towards Spain’s bailout
Spain’s economy minister, Luis de Guindos, has insisted again that Spain will not require a full sovereign bailout. But does anyone believe him? Almost certainly not. During its seven months in power, the government of Mariano Rajoy has been repeatedly forced to backtrack on pledges and resolutions. The promise not to raise taxes has been followed by increases in income tax and VAT. The assertion that social spending would be ring-fenced has been followed by cuts to health and education. And the claim that Spain would not require a bailout for its banks…well, you guessed it. So when Guindos says there won’t be a full-blown bailout, because the Spanish economy is strong enough to withstand … [Read more...] about The regions’ role in the seemingly unstoppable slide towards Spain’s bailout
Vasconcelos finds a Baroque home in Versailles
Lisbon-based Joana Vasconcelos is the latest artist to be featured at the annual contemporary art exhibition at the Palace of Versailles, France. Joana Vasconcelos Versailles includes a number of works, including site-specific pieces, within the state apartments and gardens of the Baroque palace. Born in Paris, Vasconcelos studied art in Lisbon, where she now lives and works. She has won a number of prizes including the Prémio EDP Novos Artistas in 2000 and the Fundação Berardo’s The Winner Takes it All in 2006, resulting in Néctar, which sits at the entrance of the Museu Colecção Berardo in Lisbon. She captured international attention with her participation at the 2005 Venice Biennale … [Read more...] about Vasconcelos finds a Baroque home in Versailles
Profile: The incombustible Carmen Cervera Thyssen
Ever since her now deceased husband, German industrialist Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen, sold his unrivalled art collection to the Spanish state in 1992, Carmen Cervera has rarely been out of the headlines, her not-quite rags, but certainly to riches, story, combining a glamour, art, and a good old fashioned family feud providing the gossip writers with plenty of copy. Her latest appearance in the media came after she decided to sell Constable’s 'The Lock' earlier this month. The early 19th century landscape is now one of the most expensive British paintings ever sold and went under the hammer for more than €27 million. The former beauty queen — she was Miss Spain in 1961 — says she had … [Read more...] about Profile: The incombustible Carmen Cervera Thyssen
A slice of Vegas in Spain stirs controversy
It sounds like the answer to the prayers of the Spanish government. A multi-billion-dollar gambling complex led by an American tycoon who promises to bring the glamour of California to Spain and kick-start the country’s struggling economy by creating a quarter of a million jobs. But EuroVegas, as it’s known, is also a scheme that has sparked fears about spiralling crime, prostitution and environmental violations and which has highlighted the age-old tensions between Spain’s two main cities. American casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, with an estimated $25-billion fortune, plans to build a European gambling hub that will include six casinos and 12 hotels. His Las Vegas Sands company says … [Read more...] about A slice of Vegas in Spain stirs controversy
Miró and co. still in demand despite the crisis
On the heels of a successful Art Basel show in Switzerland in June, Europe’s largest auction houses have started their own summer selling seasons with some strong results. One of the highlights of Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art Sale in London on June 19, 2012, was a worldwide record set for Joan Miró’s Peinture (Étoile Bleue), c.1927. The painting sold for £23.5 million, well over pre-sale estimates of £15-20 million and three times its price when it last sold at auction in 2007. Other works by Miró that fared well at the auction included a later gouache, Tête, that sold for over £260,000, exceeding its estimates of £150-200,000. There were also a handful of Salvador Dalí and … [Read more...] about Miró and co. still in demand despite the crisis
Profile: Spain’s gentlemanly football genius, Vicente del Bosque
Gentlemen are thin on the pitch in soccer today, but if anybody deserves the soubriquet of el caballero, it’s Vicente del Bosque, the coach of Spain’s national side. Going into the European Cup with a World Cup under his belt, and with Spain the favourites to win the tournament for the second consecutive time, Del Bosque, 61, displayed his typical understatement when describing his team’s chances, saying: “The important thing is not to lose a sense of modesty, that they continue being good guys and if they continue like that, everything can get better.” And better they got: progressing steadfastly through the tournament to trounce Italy 4-0 in the final on July 1 in Kiev. Del Bosque’s … [Read more...] about Profile: Spain’s gentlemanly football genius, Vicente del Bosque
Spain’s golden generation rewrites history
Spanish captain Iker Casillas was at it again on Sunday night. Though he has long been crowned San Iker by his club fans, he may just have performed the three miracles needed to obtain sainthood. The culmination of the three-week tournament played in Poland and Ukraine ended with the goalkeeper lifting the Henri Delaunay trophy for the second time. In between European championships, La Roja were also crowned world champions in South Africa 2010. In the final, Spain gave a commanding performance in a 4-0 rout of Italy, a side they had failed to beat over 90 minutes for 98 years. Their route to the final began against the very same team, and the Azzurri were the only side to have scored … [Read more...] about Spain’s golden generation rewrites history
Spain’s true crisis isn’t economic, it’s institutional
As Spain has moved closer to what looks increasingly like economic disaster, there have been a couple of surprising - even heartening - moves by the country’s senior politicians lately. One was the announcement made by Socialist leader Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba that his party offered its full support to the conservative government going into the key European summit in Brussels on June 28. This rare instance of political unity was accompanied by an unusual show of stark public honesty by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. “We can’t finance ourselves at these levels of interest much longer,” said the man who had denied that Spain would request a bank bailout days before it did so, and who said he … [Read more...] about Spain’s true crisis isn’t economic, it’s institutional
Spain’s Basque Country glimpses peace despite political barriers
As citizens of Barcelona recently commemorated 25 years since ETA's bombing of Hipercor supermarket, which killed 21 and injured 45, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon that the Basque Country is entering a new, if somewhat arduous, era of peace. Following ETA's announcement of a permanent end to armed activity in October last year, earlier this month the group considered to be its youth wing, SEGI, also disbanded. The arrests of 90 of its members in the space of three years, as well as the increased difficulty of entering the ranks of ETA, undoubtedly contributed to SEGI's decision to fold. Tuesday June 19, 1987 is a day that would go down as the bloodiest in ETA's history. The … [Read more...] about Spain’s Basque Country glimpses peace despite political barriers