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
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Payback time for Spain’s top judge Carlos Dívar
Carlos Dívar, the president of Spain’s Supreme Court, finally resigned on June 21 after allegations last month that he used public money to pay for up to 32 private trips to Marbella and other destinations. But the 70-year-old has refused to accept the misconduct accusations, simply telling the 20 members of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), the judicial oversight board of which he was appointed president in 2008 — and from which he will also be standing down — that he was “unaware of any wrongdoing”, acknowledging instead that the situation had become “unbearable”. Fellow judge José Manuel Gómez Benítez accused Divar on May 8 of spending €5,000 from his expenses account on … [Read more...] about Payback time for Spain’s top judge Carlos Dívar
How an historic sea booty slipped through Odyssey’s fingers
With the “Mercedes” treasure safe in Spain, the five-year legal battle over an estimated 594,000 silver and gold coins recovered from a 19th-century shipwreck finally came to a close earlier this month. Not only was it a costly public dispute for all parties engaged, but it involved a canny behind-the-scenes ruse blending greed, deceit, political intrigue and even mutiny within Odyssey Marine Exploration, which eventually saw all the half-million historic minted pieces plucked from its hands after losing one court battle after another. The Tampa-based underwater salvager fought hard to keep the trove, but to no avail. On May 14, the US Supreme Court rejected Odyssey’s final appeal in the … [Read more...] about How an historic sea booty slipped through Odyssey’s fingers
‘Seis puntos sobre Emma’: Blind motivation?
Seis puntos sobre Emma tells the story of Emma, a blind woman of around 30 who is attempting to get pregnant, with Machiavellian calculation. Interviews with director Roberto Pérez Toledo (himself a wheelchair-user) reveal that one of the main aims behind his film was to offer a portrait of a blind person as a flawed human being rather than a victim. Perhaps it is because I have grown up with visually impaired people, but whenever I see a film purporting to offer this kind of insight into the life of someone with a disability my first reaction is: tell me something new. After all, films featuring portrayals of disabled characters as strong and capable individuals already exist, albeit … [Read more...] about ‘Seis puntos sobre Emma’: Blind motivation?
Bilbao celebrates 15 years of Guggenheim-inspired transformation
When Frank O. Gehry won a limited competition to design Bilbao’s new art museum in the early 1990s, the idea was to turn an old brick factory along a bend in the Nervión River into a cultural focal point for a city that had seen its traditional industries, such as shipbuilding and mining, virtually disappear by the late 20th century. Gehry had designed the Fish (1992) sculpture for Barcelona’s Port Olímpic, utilizing computer-aided design (his first use of CAD for a major project) to model its sweeping curves. In Bilbao, he would employ similar methods, resulting in what appear to be random organic forms (reminiscent of billowing sails) with the combination of seemingly incongruous … [Read more...] about Bilbao celebrates 15 years of Guggenheim-inspired transformation
La Liga: Real Madrid’s away form is the stuff of champions
The last couple of weeks in the Spanish liga may have lost much of their tension after Real Madrid’s victory at Barcelona all but sealed the title race, but the season’s closing stages are still providing plenty of drama. When Madrid finally did secure the league title on Wednesday, the way they did so was utterly fitting. A 3-0 win at Athletic Bilbao’s feared San Mamés reflected the side’s superb away form this season, which has seen them drop only seven points outside the Bernabéu. And of course, Cristiano Ronaldo was on the score sheet, heading in from a corner in the 50th minute after Gonzalo Higuaín and Mesut Özil each scored in the first 20 minutes. Ronaldo has been unstoppable … [Read more...] about La Liga: Real Madrid’s away form is the stuff of champions
A victory for Hollande, a victory for Spain
François Hollande’s French presidential election win has been trumpeted as a triumph for Socialists across Europe. Not only does it stem the tide of centre-right governments that have taken control of most EU countries, it also vindicates the European left’s resistance to austerity at any cost. And the champagne was being uncorked on Sunday at the headquarters of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), as its leaders enjoyed the thought that finally, their neighbour to the north has a left-leaning president. We don’t know whether Hollande will deliver on some of his bigger promises, such as reducing the retirement age or renegotiating fiscal targets with the EU. But the fact that one of the … [Read more...] about A victory for Hollande, a victory for Spain
Remember Gernika – but don’t forget Chaouen
The last few weeks have seen commemorations, mainly in the Basque Country, of the 75th anniversary of the bombing by German and Italian warplanes of the historic town of Gernika at the behest of General Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War. Around 4.30 in the afternoon of April 26, 1937, a joint squadron of 23 German and Italian planes appeared in the skies over the historic, and undefended, Basque town. Over the next five hours they dropped a total of 22 tons of high explosives and incendiary devices that burned for days, destroying 70 percent of the town, and killing and wounding at least 1,600 people, around a third of the population. Gernika remains a powerful symbol of … [Read more...] about Remember Gernika – but don’t forget Chaouen
Pep’s legacy
When Pep Guardiola appeared before the press on April 27 to announce his departure as FC Barcelona’s head coach at the end of the season, he said he felt exhausted and “empty.” Four years leading the club had brought a record-breaking haul of trophies and made him perhaps the most respected coach in world football. But, as Guardiola admitted, “Four years at Barcelona is an eternity and I need to recharge.” His achievements during that time are undisputable: two Champions Leagues, three Ligas, and one (possibly two) Copa del Rey titles; the development of a homegrown youth side that provided Guardiola with 22 first-team players; and the employment of a short-passing, hi-tempo attacking … [Read more...] about Pep’s legacy
Spanish wine bucks recession
In times of recession, it is always surprising to find businesses that have survived – indeed thrived – against the odds. The steady closure of smaller stores has left many Spanish town centres struggling to remain vibrant and in such a climate, niche is everything if you are hoping to capture the market. The main street of the Basque capital Vitoria's old quarter throws up one such case: Martin's Bodega is 15 square metres of wall-to-wall wine. English owner Martin Beacham opened the shop in 2009 just as the recession was beginning to hit. At such a delicate time, it was a straightforward matter of sink or swim. Three years later, business is steadily thriving, though most clients are … [Read more...] about Spanish wine bucks recession