Reality
was waiting for me when I arrived home. I returned to Spain two weeks ago, and
I found three astonishing news. However, I must admit I'm confused because I’m
not certain they aren’t connected.
The
first one is that José Maria Aznar, a former president of the Spanish government
for eight years, is threatening to come back. It seems that he is dissatisfied with the policy of current president Mariano Rajoy, and he would like
to take over the control of the situation. It is well-known that Rajoy was
chosen by Aznar as his heir instead of Rodrigo Rato. (By the way, there are no
words to describe the successful-failure professional career of Rato:
International Monetary Fund (IMF), BANKIA…) Anyhow, why is Aznar unhappy with Rajoy’s
policy? Why is he hesitating about the skills and abilities of his successor?
It
is said that Aznar doesn't agree with Rajoy’s policy. It seems that he thinks he
would do it better. It's thought the balance of the Aznar era was positive
because macroeconomic figures went up, and Spanish Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
grew up too. The fact, nevertheless, is that Aznar’s government was quite
responsible of the building bubble which almost ruined the Spanish economy
─although fortunately for him, after his term of office.
Perhaps
there is another explanation for his comeback. It is also said that Aznar is
disappointed about some information relative to his daughter’s wedding.
Something about gifts and favors received from people who are being
investigated for corruption in the called Gürtel case. Aznar could have
got gifts valued in many thousands of euros in return for some dark
compensation. The wedding ceremony lighting, expensive wines, luxurious
clothes, and perhaps jewels would be amongst those gifts. In the background,
the cause of Aznar's annoyance is very likely the attitude of president Rajoy
in front of the corruption in his own party and the Bárcena’s papers issue.
The
B accounts of the Popular Party (PP), which reflect some alleged illegal
payments to many high PP public offices, were done on manuscript sheets by its
ex-treasurer Luis Bárcenas. The scandal was brought to light in the last
autumn. Aznar wouldn’t be glad because his name appears on the list of
beneficiaries. Reaction of Aznar has been to disavow Rajoy, and he insinuates
Rajoy is misusing both his authority and his legacy (Aznar’s authority and
legacy, I mean). Should Aznar return? Is that the right question? Would his
comeback be good for Spain? Many people are hesitating over that fact,
especially in his own party.
Meanwhile,
the economic crisis follows in spite of our unbelievable figures of
unemployment are going down as a consequence ─at least in part─ of seasonal
contracting. Although it exists actually the hope this decrease is not just a
consequence of the summer tourism industry demand, but a real economic trend.
We’ll surely know it inside four months. I wish it were a positive indicator
that our economy is reactivating.
(The first news has been powerful,
hasn’t it?) The
second one is that Spain follows being the main guilty for all the evil things
which affect Catalonia. The government president of Catalonia, Artur Mas,
doesn’t lose any occasion to say that Madrid is responsible for all our pains
and sufferings. "Catalan people don’t deserve so bad luck. Why did we marry Castile over five-hundred years ago? Why have we had to be in fact under the Spanish Bourbon crown for about three centuries? We would have liked to get independence or, at less, to belong rather to the USA, like Massachusetts or to Germany, like Baden Württemberg; but not to Congo or Myanmar, of course. We are rich and civilized; we aren't
poor and barbarian. Catalonia is pure; Catalonia has neither corruption nor
misadministration," he seems to say.
It seems
as if our politicians didn’t make any mistake. “Nowadays, Catalonia has not
money because of Madrid. Ergo: if
Catalonia were independent, it would have a lot of money, and Catalans could
live surrounded with pleasures and treasures,” they say. (Where are you seeing the fallacy, dear reader? OK, you’re right.) The
really truth is that state, national, and local politicians are equally
responsible for all those things which were wrong done last years in the whole
Spain. Not just Madrid, Very Honourable President Mas.
The
third news affects surprisingly nature: WE (West Europe) won’t have summer
in this year, whether the forecast which has done a French weather agency was
right. It seems that math models predict an unusual cold and wet summer as
effect of the cool and rainy spring that Europe has had. I wonder if a cold and
wet summer is not a summer too. Why are some kinds of news so shocking? Maybe
it'll be temperatures one or two degree lower than the average; perhaps we'll
see more rain than usually. However, does it mean we are not going to have a
summer? I thought that I could swimming, playing beach rackets, diving, motorbiking, running, and having a few jars like any summer in my life. However, next summer I’m going probably skiing, making snowmen, and staying home having tea. What a summer is waiting for us!
Do all these news have something to do each other? Should Aznar come back? Should Artur Mas find other excuses? Is nature furious with us? Haven’t we done the right things? Has the world become mad? Am I having a dream? I don’t know, but I’m absolutely sure I'm back home.
