••• The International Writers Magazine - Our 20th Year: From Our Spanish Correspondent

Zara's Gift • James Skinner 5.6.2019 The changing face of modern Spain

Most fashion shops the world over recognize the household name of ‘Zara’ that was kicked off by a humble Galician tailor called Amancio Ortega, who, over the years, built one of the largest fashion empires in the world and who was named the richest magnate in the world after Bill Gates.

Well this incredible yet humble man, now 83, is also one of the main donators of part of his wealth to all kinds of charities worldwide, pays thousands of millions in personal taxes and has only recently donated a number of sets, 440 to be exact, of the latest cancer treatment apparatus to the tune of 300 million Euro to the National Health service of Spain. Not only was his Samaritan act praised by the medical institutions but by the public in general, in particular the cancer patients as well as the research sectors around the country.

But not Pablo Iglesias of the Podemos (Communist) party! He publicly announced that under no circumstances would he condone such a donation from a ‘capitalist’ tax evader who is an insult to the poor people around the world that struggle to survive.

Well dear reader, this statement was made a few days before Spain went to the polls for local, some regional and European parliamentary elections were to take place. Not only did this backfire, but it literally changed the whole political balance, at least at town council level, as every ‘Podemos’ puppet party lambasted their ‘leader’ stating that under no circumstances would they now present themselves as candidates.

So what happened?

Elections took place, and sure enough the socialists (PSOE) overwhelming won in most of Spain although without a majority. So, the mayhem of forming coalition local governments has started and as per above, the Marxist lot have practically dropped off the fridge magnets as possible candidates.

Ah! But one must not forget that these deals will not affect the new parliament because general elections were held earlier and Sr. Pablo Iglesias is right behind Mr. Pedro Sanchez, the suave, feminist socialist (PSOE) Prime Minister who continues to woo the country with his future ‘coffee for everybody’ socialist programs that will eventually lead Spain into the economic doldrums.

Harsh but realistic.

What about the rest? Well, as this is my last entry for Hackwriters I’ll just sum it up.

A mess.

Catalonia continues down the path to ‘Perdition’ with regional president Torra constantly denouncing that Spain is holding members of his government as political prisoners. Meanwhile the actual trial that is going on to convict these so called ‘law breaking’ politicians is coming to a head. And low and behold. They have broken the law on charges of rebellion against the state. I have said all along. Spain has a Constitution, call it a Magna Carta, call it what you like but it is the legal binding document since day one of the new democracy.

You may be interested to know that members of the previous Catalan government that includes Puigdemont in Brussels have been appearing in the Spanish courts for months because of the famous referendum held on the 1st of October, 2017 accused of an act of treason. Hundreds of persons were called to declare including members of the police and Guardia Civil forces (these were on the right side. The bad cops were the Mossos d'Esquadra, (local Catalan police force). The court has come to the conclusion that the act was one of a 'coup d'etat'. In other words a criminal act. The district attorney is now to pronounce prison sentences

This is not different to the 23rd of February 1982 when the Spanish parliament was taken over by the Guardia Civil. The King Juan Carlos, head of the armed forces ordered them all back to barracks.

This could be the trigger of more nasties in Spain. We shall see.

Finally, the government has come to some sort of agreement with the trade unions and the equivalent of the confederation of industry, i.e. the ‘bosses’ and it is back to the old days of Peter Seller’s ‘what about the workers’. Still haven’t twigged that workers, the blue collar lot no longer exist. They are all robot controllers or Internet sales operators. The screwdriver and hammer lot are making a fortune as autonomous enterprisers. Fixing aunty Molly’s sewing machine. We live in the age of drones, on-line banking and 5G, whatever the hell this is, informatics.

Many sectors are talking about a new political 'front' that caused the last Civil War. All it needs is a serious political assassination and would be the spark that kicked it off. We have an extreme left wing government that have virtually taken over the country. Their economic policy is absurd. Tax, tax and then more tax.
The Stock market is already taking a toll. Investment will drop and then we have Brexit just around the corner.
Pull the drawbridge on Europe and, well rather not think about it.

We are coming into the summer months, holiday time. Everyone on the beaches.
Come September, October
Who knows?

Goodbye chaps. Spain is no different to the rest of the world of the Trumps, the Farages, the Le Penn’s and the Uncle Tom Cobblies.

P.S. Look out for my new novel ‘A Clash of Conscience’ all about religious faith, Alzheimer and adultery. Quite an explosive mix.

© James Skinner June 5th 2019
jamesskinner@mundo-r.com

A New Broom in Spain
James Skinner 1.5.19
The results, to a certain degree, have stunned the nation as such a severe swing from right to left was not predicted in the various polls prior to the elections.

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