Spanish nationality for descendents of exiles

Spanish Nationality for 1.5 million grandchildren of exiles

One and half million people could benefit from a new law which gives the grandchildren of people who were forced into exile during the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship the right to apply for Spanish nationality. The new law is part of the ‘Historic Memory Law’ which was passed by parliament at the end of last year.

The government predicts that up to one an half million people could apply for Spanish nationality under this new law which will come into effect on 29th December this year. Under this law people will be able to apply for nationality over a 2 year period until December 2010 although this period could be extended for another year.

It is expected that many people who are entitled to apply for Spanish nationality under the new law will take the opportunity to do so due to the fact that many live in Latin American countries. Nearly half of the people who are affected by the new law live in Argentina and Cuba both of which are currently suffering serious economic difficulties.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation under Miguel Ángel Moratinos expects justice to approve the new law shortly and Spanish embassies and consulates in Latin American countries, especially Argentina and Cuba, are preparing themselves for an avalanche of applications for Spanish nationality.

Another clause in the ‘Historic Memory Law’ also gives those who fought in the Brigades against Franco in the Spanish Civil war 1936-1939 the right to Spanish nationality. The new law stipulates that those who fought in the Brigades do not need to give up their own nationalities to be able to benefit from taking up Spanish nationality. However the number of those benefiting from this new law is expected to quite low given that there are only around 1000 people still living who fought in the Brigades during the Civil War.

Other measures included in the ‘Historic Memory Law’ will make documents related to Franco’s dictatorship which were previously secret available for historic research and will establish the requirements for the Ministry of Justice to give official recognition to victims of the Civil War and Franco’s repression.

President Zapatero's speech to United Nations

Zapatero asks for universal moratorium on death penalty by 2015 in speech to UN

In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly last night the Spanish president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, asked for a universal moratorium on the death penalty by 2015 and urged those countries that still apply it to reflect on the meaning of this punishment.

Zapatero made this proposal to the international community in a speech which focussed mainly on the international financial crisis and the need for rich countries to meet their obligations and not use current economic problems as an excuse not to fulfil the Objectives of the Millennium Development Plan to reduce extreme poverty by half by 2015.

With the aim of reaffirming the declaration on human Rights Zapatero argued for the approval this year of a universal moratorium on the death penalty as the first step towards its abolition.

The Spanish president also dedicated a large part of his address to the UN to demanding a new international financial order and to questioning the existence of economic spaces immune to regulation and public supervision.

He warned that the current crisis could affect the Objectives of the Millennium Development Plan and that poor countries could suffer ever more due to the malpractices of the rich.

He demanded the need to create institutions that control and supervise global markets and made a commitment to promote an agreement at an international level regarding rules of supervision and transparency and supported the idea of the creation of an early warning system for national financial institutions.

In his speech Zapatero emphasised the need not to become complacent when analysing the steps needed to in order to achieve the Objectives of the Millennium Development Plan. He warned that ‘we have not advanced as much as we should have’. He also reminding the UN that misery and hunger were often the sources of conflicts and migratory pressure difficult to control. He also said that the eradication of poverty might appear to be a utopian idea but that this should not be the case.

Zapatero reminded the UN of the efforts made by Spain in the fight against world poverty. Over recent years Spain has become the country which has increased its official development fund more than any other over the last four years and it remains firmly committed to reaching the goal of dedicating 0.7% of its GDP to international development funds by 2012.

Finally Zapatero showed his support for the UN saying that the world needed the UN for sustainable development, permanent political dialogue, to stop countries returning to ‘new cold wars’ and to eradicate extreme poverty.

Prison blog about live in Spanish jails

Ex-convict creates website to help prisoners and their families to adapt to prison life

Convicted criminals who are sent to prison have to face a world with its own rules of behaviour which is why Jorge de la Hidalga has set up a webpage called Infoprision, aimed at providing information and support to new inmates and their relatives. De la Hidalga is well qualified in this area as he is himself an ex-convict who spent time inside after falling on hard times and getting involved in some dubious business deals. He studied a History degree while in prison and is the author of some books among them Vis à vis, which is due to be published shortly. He now works for a foundation in Madrid aimed at combating digital breaches.

De la Hidalga says that he is interested in helping those inside and their families and believes that he has the necessary knowledge and experience to do this. He spent several years in various Spanish prisons and now wants to use his experiences to help others who find themselves in a similar situation. Before embarking on the project to create Infoprision, he did a quick search of the internet to see if he could find anything on prisons and life inside but all he found was the testaments of ex-convicts who had not recognised their errors and who were trying to vindicate themselves. He says that he recognises that he committed a mistake and paid the price for it. He also recognises that inmates find themselves in a helpless situation and are often forgotten by their lawyers once they are in prison. Moreover, he says that many criminal lawyers are not very knowledgeable in the rights of prisoners.

De la Hidalga is conscious of the fact that a webpage is not very accessible for inmates which is why the page is directed at the relatives of inmates. He says that Spanish prisons have improved a lot and that there are some prison officers who respect the rights of inmates but that inmates still face difficulties on a daily basis. He says that Infoprision is a type of ‘hotel guide’ in that it is intended to help those who find themselves in prison for the first time deal with the situation better so that they are not completely uninformed.

The website contains different categories on new inmates, reoffenders etc. There is also a section for relatives of inmates which includes forms for them to print off (complaint forms, application forms for conditional release…etc) intended for inmates.

One of the future projects for the site is to open a section on blogs written by inmates so that they can share their experiences and opinions and publish photos. There is also a dictionary of slang used in prisons and recommendations on which lawyers to use.

Flights between Madrid and Gibraltar suspended

Iberia cancels route between Madrid and Gibraltar

Iberia has suspended the route that it operates between Madrid-Barajas and Gilbraltar due to the fact that it did not meet forecasts made by the company when the route began in December 2006. The last flight between the Spanish capital and Gibraltar will take place on 28th September.

Sources speaking on behalf of Iberia have indicated that it is not yet known whether the company will operate flights on the same route at any point in the near future although they have said that any decision will be based on demand and the situation of the sector and will also take into account ‘recent fluctuations’ in the market. They said that Iberia had not been able to make this route profitable because there was not enough demand but that a definitive decision had not yet been taken.

The route between Madrid and Gibraltar which began in December 2006 was the first commercial flight to operate between Spain and Gibraltar as a result of a tripartite agreement between the Spanish and British governments and Gibraltar to use the existing airfield inside the territory belonging to Gibraltar.

In the face of the cancellation of the route operated by Iberia between the Spanish capital and Gibraltar the mayor of La Línea de la Concepción (Cádiz), Juan Carlos Juárez, said that it was necessary to look for imaginative solutions so that the route did not disappear all together and asked the government of Gibraltar for its collaboration. Juárez said that he was sorry that a proper study into the demand for the route was not being carried out.

Juárez is in favour of other companies such as easyJet, taking over the route between Madrid and Gibraltar. Furthermore, he has asked for the route to be maintained until the current situation improves and insisted that the cancellation of flights on this route would be a disaster for everybody involved.

ETA bomb kills one man and injures 7

ETA kills one man in Santoña in third car bomb in 24 hours

A member of the armed forces was killed and seven others injured when a car bomb exploded in Santoña (Cantabria) last night. The dead man has been named as Luis Conde de la Cruz. Out of the injured men is in a serious condition and has undergone surgery The others have been treated for minor injuries and shock.

The dead man was 46 years old and was in Santoña on holiday according to the President of Cántabria, Miguel Ángel Revilla. Although the area had been cordoned off Luis Conde de la Cruz was outside the building where the explosion took place while the other injured men were all inside the building in the military compound.

The explosion of the latest car bomb took place in a military compound in Santoña, Virgen del Puerto, which is an training Academy for the children of members of the Spanish armed forces, although since its inauguration last October it has only been used as a residence for military personnel.

Luis Conde de la Cruz is the third man to be killed by ETA this year following the murder of the former socialista councillor, Isaías Carrasco and the Civil Guard, Juan Manuel Piñuel.

According to witness accounts the car bomb exploded just before 1 am near the military compound, Virgen del Puerto. The municipal police in Santoña received a warning at around 00.50 hours that there was a car bomb in the area near the monument to the admiral Carrero Blanco. A man speaking on behalf of ETA gave 40 minutes for the evacuation of the area. The car bomb contained 100 kilos of explosives and left a large crater in the place where the vehicle was parked.

The President of Cántabria, Miguel Ángel Revilla and a member of the government, Agustín Ibáñez, together with the Mayoress of Santoña and several members of the local town hall have all visited the site of the explosion.

This latest explosion is the third ETA bomb to explode in the last 24 hours. On Saturday night a bomb exploded outside the headquarters of Caja Vital in Vitoria and another bomb exploded outside the police station in Ondarroa injuring 10 people two of whom remain in hospital including a 15 year old girl.

It is believed that the recent decision of the Spanish high court to make two Basque nationalist groups illegal - Acción Nacionalista Vasca (ANV) and the Partido Comunista de las Tierras Vascas (PCTV-EHAK) - could be behind these latest ETA terrorist attacks.

Spanish government to propose voluntary immigrant repatriation plan

Spanish Government to approve plan for immigrants to return home voluntarily

It is expected that the Spanish cabinet will approve a plan to help immigrants living in Spain return home voluntarily. The plan would help non EU immigrants return to their countries of origin by paying them 40% of their unemployment benefit in advance and the rest a month after they return home. The meeting to decide whether to create a bill regarding the voluntary repatriation of non EU immigrants is taking place this morning at the Palacio de la Moncloa and will be presided over by the Spanish president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

It is thought that around 100,000 immigrants from 19 countries could take up the offer of returning home through the voluntary plan. The government believes those most interested in the plan to return home voluntarily would be those from Morocco, Ecuador and Colombia.

However, those immigrants that take up the plan will have to wait three years before being allowed to apply for permission to live in Spain again.

Frederico Garcia Lorca's remains may be exhumed

In an interview published by El Pais, The neice of Federico García Lorca, Laura García Lorca, said that her family would not prevent the authorities exhuming the remains of the Spanish poet killed in the Spanish civil war. Federico García Lorca.

Lorca, was shot dead along with Dióscoro Galindo González, Francisco Galadí and Juan Arcolla on 18th August 1936 and all four were buried in an unmarked grave believed to be in the Víznar ravine, Granada.

On 12th September family members of Dióscoro Galindo González and Francisco Galadí who are believed to be buried in the same place as Lorca asked the high court judge Baltasar Garzón to investigate the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Previously the Lorca family has always opposed any possibility of opening up the tomb where Lorca is believed to lie. However, following the requests by family members of Dióscoro Galindo González and Francisco Galadí Laura García Lorca, said that her family would not take any action to stop Baltasar Garzón exhuming the bodies which are believed to be buried with between 1000 to 3000 other men and women who were also murdered by Franco’s troops.

Speaking to El Pais Laura Garcia Lorca said that her family would not oppose the body of Federico Garcia Lorca being exhumed as part of the investigations although she said that the family would have preferred it to be left untouched. She spoke of the other 1000 to 3000 men and women who are also believed to be buried there and said that a partial exhumation of just a few bodies would disturb the unmarked graves of these people and also make a distinction between her uncle and the rest when all of them were victims of the same repression. She said that she wouldn’t like her deceased uncle to be given special attention above any of the others out of respect for their families and those that were killed there.

However Laura Garcia Lorca did not rule out the possibility of moving the remains once they had been exhumed to rest with other members of the Lorca family which are buried in New York or Madrid. She also added that she has not been able to speak to the family members of Dióscoro Galindo González and Francisco Galadí despite her efforts to contact them.

It is expected that the high court judge in charge of the case Baltasar Garzón will make an announcement regarding the case imminently.

Spanish activist offers free lesson on how to rob a bank

A young anti-system Spanish activist who has taken 492,000 euros in the form of loans from 39 different financial institutions has fled the country alter revealing how he managed to get the loans under false pretences.

Furthermore, the activist known as Enric Duran said that he does not intend to pay any of the money back and has even invested part of it in creating a magazine called ‘Crisis’ which will be distributed free throughout Catalonia this week. With the help of collaborators over 200,000 copies of the magazine will be handed out.

In the magazine the activist describes in detail how he managed to ‘rob’ so much money from banks and building societies by applying for loans for supposed building work or a new car. He even set up a company in order to justify applications for credit. Enric Duran also admits to inventing a profession and making false pay slips so that the banks would grant him loans. In the magazine he says that all you need is a printer, a photocopier some scissors and some sellotape.

In the magazine ‘Crisis’ the activist also points out that the advantage of asking for a loan through a company is that the debt does not appear in CIRBE which is a list of defaulters on loans in Spain.

Sources close to the activist explained that he had fled the country because he believed that the Spanish judicial system would accuse him of large scale fraud following his confession. The activist justified his action as a form of civil disobedience and said that he was making a statement against the system. He also said it was a form of protest against the banking system and an attempt to build alternatives for society. He added that it was a completely non-violent action.

Enric Duran also publishes the names of the financial institutions that he has defrauded and the amount that he is not going to pay back. To sum up he says ‘I have robbed 492,000 euros from those who rob the most in order to denounce them and build alternatives for society’.

Madrid crash investigation finds wing flaps failed

Spanair did not apply routine safety checks on warning systems before each flight ago

Routine safety checks recommended over 20 years ago which could have prevented the Barajas plane crash on 20th August were not applied by Spanair. The preliminary report into the crash by the Spanish Civil Aviation authorities (CIAIAC) indicates that the flaps on the wings which help support the plane on take off were not in the correct position and that the warning system which would have alerted the pilots to this error did not work properly.

A similar accident in another MD-82 plane occurred in Detroit in 1987 and as a result the manufacturer of this type of Aircraft now McDonell-Douglas (now Boeing) recommended that all airlines test their warnings systems before each flight. However, it has been discovered that Spanair only carries out safety checks on this feature before the first flight of the day and when there is a change of pilot.
As expected the report has uncovered a chain of both human and technical errors. The report which has been sent to all the parties involved, describes what happened in the moments prior to the crash and ends with the recommendation that it become obligatory to check warning systems before each flight.

The doomed aircraft arrived in Madrid from Barcelona on the day of the crash at 10.13 hours on 20th August without any reported incidents. It refuelled in Barajas where it was scheduled to fly to Las Palmas and was given the all clear to go to the runway. According to information gained from one of the black boxes the flaps were opened to 11 degrees. Take off was authorized at 13.25 hours. However, when the plane got to the runway the pilots communicated a small problem a minute and a half later and asked for permission to leave the runway.

The plane then left the runway and technicians tested the fault which had been detected which was related to overheating (105 degrees) in one of the temperature gauges. The technicians then proceeded to open the electrical circuit which connected the heating to the RAT temperature gauge where the problem had occurred. When tested again the gauge then showed a normal temperature setting so the aircraft was once again given the all clear to return to the runway. However at this point the flaps were at 0 degrees. The report does not clarify whether this was due to a technical fault or human error.

However, whatever the cause of this error it appears that the alarm system designed to alert the pilot if this happens did not work. According to the report no alarm sound which would have indicated that the flaps were completely shut was recorded by the black box.

It is not known why this alarm system did not work but it does examine the relation of this alarm system to the RAT temperature gauge which had been faulty earlier.
The report points out that according to the manufacturer alarm systems should be checked at the beginning of the day and in stopovers without exception. However Spanair only asks its pilots to check this once a day or when both pilots change.
Therefore if these instructions were followed the crew of flight JK5022 would have carried out this safety check in Barcelona and would not have repeated it in Madrid.

Spanish scientists identify gene linked to half the cases of colon cancer

A group of Spanish and American scientists have made a significant advance in the fight against cancer of the colon which is the most common form of cancer in Spain with around 26,000 new cases diagnosed every year. The research team led by the oncologists José Baselga and Josep Tabernero, based at the Hospital Vall D'Hebron in Barcelona, together with the institute of oncology Dana-Farber and the University of Boston have discovered a gene that is associated with around 50% of colon cancers.

The discovery is a crucial step towards finding a new preventative treatment for colon cancer for people at high risk of developing this type of cancer due to inherited genes or a predisposition to develop polyps in their intestines. It also opens up new possibilities in being able to successfully treat this type of cancer once it has already taken hold. The details of this promising research have been published today in the digital version of the scientific journal ‘Nature’.

The new gene is called CDK8. The gene acts as a trigger which leads to the proliferation of cancerous cells in the colon which means that the tumour grows. According to the findings of this latest research it has been discovered that the gene CDK8 transforms healthy cells in the colon into malign cells and that it remains overactive in half of colon cancer patients. Scientists have found that the gene CDK8 acts as a trigger and that once it has been disabled or ‘turned off’ then this stops the spread of the cancerous cells which is why this discovery is very significant in the fight against colon cancer.

In the laboratory scientists have been able to turn this ‘switch’ off in rats with human tumours but admit that there is still a long way to go before treatment based on these latest findings can be developed for use in humans.

The research team based at Vall d'Hebron is planning to carry out further research to find out whether this gene is related to other common forms of cancer such as breast cancer or lung cancer. However William Hahn a researcher at the Dana Farber Institute and the principal author of this latest research said that research into finding new therapies for treating colon and other forms of cancer is at a very early stage.

Nevertheless the discovery of CDK8 and other similar genes represents a significant advance as it opens up new ways of interrupting the process of the spread of tumours.

White night in Madrid

Noche Blanca in Madrid this weekend.

La noche en blanco is a unique festival which is due to take place in the Spanish capital, Madrid, on 13th September 2008. It is the third such festival and is scheduled to take place with the full moon lighting up the city. The festival consists of activities which include all disciplines of art and as always the emphasis is on the avant-guarde with special attention given to artists linked to the city.

It is expected that this year’s festival will enjoy the success of the two previous events and will be faithful to the idea of the ‘European White Nights’ which are also promoted in other European cities such as Brussels, Paris and Bucharest. The festival which is aimed at endorsing commitment to sustainability and public transport attempts to bring the best of contemporary art closer to all citizens of the city in addition to visitors.

A wide range of events will fill the streets and squares of Madrid on the night of the 13th September. With over 150 events including rock, pop, folk and classical concerts, stage art, specially organised visits to important buildings in Madrid such as the stock market, dance and theatre as well as diverse film screenings this is a night which should not be missed. Moreover all events are completely free of charge for more information visit: http://lanocheenblanco.esmadrid.com

Illegal scallop sales in Spain

One of Spain's top chefs is among those being investigated as arrests shock the Spanish food industry.

Four Spanish fishermen were imprisoned yesterday for selling toxic scallops to restaurants and other distributors. Inspections in restaurants in Galicia are continuing but at present just one well known restauranteur, a distributor and six seafood fishermen have been arrested and charged with involvement in selling and buying scallops taken from the river Ferrol something which has been prohibited since 1995 due to the toxic levels in the water. The contaminated scallops have been found to contain the amnesiac toxin ASP, an accumulative substance which the scallops store in their hepatopancreas and which can cause anyone who consumes them loss of memory similar to alzheimer’s and even death. All those detained on charges of buying or selling these toxic scallops appeared in court yesterday in Ferrol.

Toñi Vicente, a well known restaurant owner who was charged with buying the contaminated seafood has been released on conditional bail and is required to appear in court every 30 days. The distributor was also released on conditional bail and has to appear in court every 15 days. Four of the fishermen were sent to prison in Teixeiro (A Coruña) for crimes against public health. At present there are two more restauranteurs suspected of buying the contaminated seafood. Their restaurants are in the localities of Poio and Sanxenxo.

Toñi Vicente, whose michelin-star restaurant in Santiago de Compostela bears her own name, has an international reputation as one of Spain's top women chefs. Her arrest was headline news on all Spanish television channels yesterday and she said that she felt very affected by all the media attention. She put down the whole incident as a misunderstanding. In her restaurant scallops are a key ingredient in four of the dishes on the menu, with prices ranging between 21 and 24 euros.

The contaminated scallops taken from the river Ferrol were sold for around 1.50€ on the black market and were offered fresh when normally during this period Galician scallops are from the river Arousa and only carry health safety certification when they are frozen – they are also labelled.

Ramón Queiro, the legal representative of the company, Xanquei, a well known seafood distributor and the son of the owner Juan Quiero, was also implicated in the situation. He has also denied all charges. Investigations began in July this year following the detention of a man from Ferrol who was travelling around Santiago in a van with 400 kilos of toxic scallops. This weekend the Civil Guard seized 4000 kilos of scallops which are now being analyzed.

Related: Restaurants in Spain

Riots in Almeria

Second night of riots in Roquetas de Mar, Almeria

Roquetas de Mar in Almeria was once again the scene of riots following the fatal stabbing of a resident in one of the town's poorer districts this weekend. According to friends of the deceased the stabbing took place at around 21.45pm on Saturday evening when a man of African origin intervened in a fight and was subsequently fatally stabbed. The murdered man, from Senegal, was married with two children and had been living in Roquetas de Mar for at least 3 years. His friends believe the perpetrator of the crime was a Spanish gypsy.

Following the incident on Saturday night riots broke out when an ambulance, which had been called to a separate incident in the area, was attacked with bottles and stones. Later on the police and firemen were also attacked which led to the Civil Guard intervening. At least one policeman was injured and 4 people of African origin were detained according to the Civil Guard.

The disturbances continued when groups of Sub-Saharan Africans began to burn rubbish containers and set up road blocks. Two flats were set on fire, one of which it is believed belonged to the man suspected of carrying out the stabbing. Shops and passing pedestrians were also attacked. Violence later spread to the rest of the neighbourhood. As a precaution the mayor of the city, Gabriel Amat Ayllón has ordered that all ambulances must have a police escort. The violence eventually died down at around 2.00 am.

The area is inhabited mainly by gypsies and Africans from the Sub-Sahara. The dead man worked in agriculture which is the largest industry in the area. At least 25% of the population of Roquetas del Mar is made up of immigrants. According to the Association called Almeria Acoge the latest incident is not due to a racist outbreak but is linked to the complicated situation of the 200 viviendas area which is inhabited mainly by gypsies and Sub-Saharan Africans.

The spokesperson for the association, Juan José Castillo, denied that any type of pre-established confrontation existed between these two groups previously. The police are still looking for the man suspected of carrying out the fatal stabbing.

Spanish police suspect hidden treasure in Gibraltar

The Guardia Civil suspects that Odyssey is hiding objects found in Gibraltar

The Civil Guard believes that the North American underwater exploration company Odyssey could be hiding treasure found in international waters in a boat based in Gilbraltar. More specifically it believes that Odyssey could be in possession of part of a treasure consisting of 500,000 gold and silver coins discovered in 2007 which the Spanish authorities have claimed as its property.

Investigators believe that the archaeological objects found at the bottom of the ocean could contain items from the treasure that Odyssey discovered in 2007 and according to Spanish sources belong to the ship Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, which sank in 1804. The ship which was part of the Spanish Armada sank following a sea battle with the English fleet off the Portuguese coast near the Algarve.

Nevertheless, other sources do not rule out that the archaeological finds could belong to another ship. However, the courts in La Línea de la Concepción (Cádiz) are currently investigating what the archaeological objects that Odyssey have found are and could inspect them if they receive permission from the authorities in Gibraltar. This would mean that they could finally be identified.

The dispute between the North American company Odyssey and the Spanish government has been on going since the company, based in Florida, announced that it had found treasure from the medieval period valued at 373 million euros on 18th May 2007 and transported several containers back to its headquarters in the US.

The Spanish Ministry of Culture then alerted the Civil Guard which opened an investigation into two boats belonging to Odyssey - the 'Odyssey Explorer' and the 'Ocean Alert' - both of which are based in Gibraltar.

The Spanish authorities have until the 22nd September to present their case to the US authorities. They will need to provide proof and the relevant documentation that 'Nuestra Señora de La Mercedes' was owned by the state and formed part of the Spanish Armada. Following this the North American company has 60 days to make its case against these claims.

Silver and golden shields and coins are believed to be just some of the objects that the treasure in question contained. They all belong to the period of Carlos IV are were made in Lima which could also give rise to claims of ownership from Peru.