When Moammar Gaddafi made a visit to Spain at the end of 2007, the Socialist government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero faced fierce criticism from various groups for not taking a tough stance against the Libyan leader’s human rights record. Following Gaddafi’s controversial visit that year from December 15-18, the US Embassy gave Washington a full report of the Libyan strongman’s activities in Spain, including details of his eccentricities. Gaddafi arrived with a huge entourage, including a motorcade of over 50 vehicles and his own butchers, and staked his tents on the grounds of his accommodations – all in preparation to sign a string of lucrative economic deals with the Socialist … [Read more...] about Flamenco, Aznar and good behaviour: Gaddafi’s Spanish visit
spanish news
The end of ETA violence offers Spain’s cynical politicos a fresh start
Another masked member of ETA speaking to a camera, another message to the Spanish government calling for talks and lamenting the deaths of fellow terrorists. And yet this time, it was different. ETA’s announcement on Thursday of the abandonment of its four-decade campaign of violence has been warmly welcomed by the Socialist government, by opposition leader Mariano Rajoy and by observers and analysts who have followed the Basque situation closely. Strangely though, the declaration sounds like only a small advance from previous announcements made by the group and which were widely dismissed as ploys or timid cop-outs. This week’s “definitive end” to the group’s “armed activity” follows … [Read more...] about The end of ETA violence offers Spain’s cynical politicos a fresh start
Balagueró hits top horror form with ‘Mientras duermes’
Fear, panic and sympathy are emotions that Rec director Jaume Balagueró puts the spectator through in his new film Mientras duermes (Sleep Tight). We follow the twists and turns of the plot through the eyes of César, a disturbed doorman whose only pleasure in life comes from making others suffer. César knows everyone in the building and controls their every move. He isn’t your run-of-the-mill psycho-killer though; he’s more like a blue-collar villain who happens to vent his frustration on his unsuspecting neighbours. Luis Tosar, Marta Etura and Alberto San Juan breathe life into the characters that Alberto Marini has developed for this story, based on the book of the same name. Luis Tosar … [Read more...] about Balagueró hits top horror form with ‘Mientras duermes’
Villarreal’s wayward submarine seeks to get back on course
“It looked like Bayern won with something to spare” Juan Carlos Garrido admitted at the end of Villarreal’s 2-0 defeat at home to Bayern Munich a few weeks ago, adding: “but that’s not quite how it was, even so, they are a great team”, almost as a confused afterthought. Bayern’s players seemed surprised, even underwhelmed by the childish ease with which they dispatched a team that has become known around Europe over the last few years for their adventurous, skilful play. Any artistry that Garrido’s Villarreal may have been capable of certainly was not on display in the defensive styling of their football on the night. Set up with three largely static defensive midfielders, they were never … [Read more...] about Villarreal’s wayward submarine seeks to get back on course
Why Spain are still the team to fear
After Spain equalled the record held by Holland and France of 14 consecutive victories in official competition with their comfortable 3-1 win against Scotland on Wednesday, among the many platitudes meted out by players and staff of La Roja was a rather frank appraisal by Santi Cazorla. “The way we are playing at the moment we are favourites to win the European Championship,” the Málaga midfielder said in an unusual instance of a footballer voicing an opinion. It was a far cry from the standard Spanish players’ fare of slightly awkward modesty and explaining to the camera that it’s one game at a time. But Cazorla is quite correct. Spain will be the overwhelming favourite when the … [Read more...] about Why Spain are still the team to fear
A social network headed for global dominance… or buy-out syndrome?
It receives 15 percent of all Spanish internet traffic, has 11.5 million users and its own mobile phone operator and for the last year has been under the ownership of a telecoms giant. Tuenti is the social network of choice for Spain’s teenagers and a major corporate presence that many believe is on the verge of expanding abroad and taking on Facebook in the world market. Tuenti’s figures do indeed make for impressive reading and this, no doubt, was what appealed to Telefonica when the company made its €70-million bid for the social networking site in 2010. Now, a year after the takeover, Tuenti is at a key phase in its development. And as it moves forward in the shadow of one of Europe’s … [Read more...] about A social network headed for global dominance… or buy-out syndrome?
Spanish air firm seeks sanction relief after Syria trade gaffe
Later this month, the US government is expected to review whether it will maintain intact a commercial sanction against a Spanish air company for sending a jet to Syria in violation of a trade embargo. The British-made BAe 146–300 aircraft reportedly is still parked at a Damascus airport despite efforts over the last two years by Spain’s Orion Air S. L. to push Syrian officials to return the jet. The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued a 180-day sanction, known as a “Temporarily Denying Export Privileges Order” (TDO), against Orion and Syrian Pearl Airlines in 2009. It renewed the TDO last April because the jet has not been returned. A batch of US Embassy … [Read more...] about Spanish air firm seeks sanction relief after Syria trade gaffe
Spanish air base layoff plan a PR nightmare for Washington
In 2009, US diplomats in Madrid warned Washington that planned civilian defence job cutbacks at US military bases in Morón de la Frontera and Rota could put Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero “in an extremely difficult position” and would become a public relations fiasco for the United States because some politicians would “insist that Zapatero retaliate for the ‘insult.’” The summation made by William H. Duncan, who at the time was the US Embassy’s political counsellor, was part of an effort to get his State Department superiors to convince Pentagon officials not to go ahead with the planned layoffs at these two Spanish air and naval bases. “The principal … [Read more...] about Spanish air base layoff plan a PR nightmare for Washington
Gibson’s undimmed passion for Lorca
I first met Ian Gibson in 2004. While walking through the Madrid barrio of Lavapiés, I had spotted a face that I remembered from the book flap of his biography of Federico García Lorca. Like a weak-kneed groupie, I followed him into a bar and confessed I was a fan of the biography as well as his exploration of the events that led up to Lorca’s death, El asesinato de García Lorca. Gibson, who lived in the area, graciously invited me to sit down and have a drink and I spent 10 hurried minutes with him. Seven years on, I meet Gibson at the same bar (his choice), but this time the interview has been arranged by phone and it coincides with a new edition of his Lorca biography in Spanish, … [Read more...] about Gibson’s undimmed passion for Lorca
Bilingual schooling obsession is gambling with children’s future
At the beginning of this school year, a mother commented to me that she had moved her daughter from one public school in Madrid to another in the same neighbourhood. When I asked why, she said it was because of the bilingual schools project that Esperanza Aguirre, president of Madrid's regional government, has created, which entails teaching 40-50 percent of the school curriculum in English, except mathematics and Spanish language. I was surprised to find out that in fact this mother had changed her daughter from a school that was about to enter the bilingual project to a school that had no intention of doing so. In a country that is so preoccupied with getting a grasp of the English … [Read more...] about Bilingual schooling obsession is gambling with children’s future