_ Soltalk February 2023 _ Soltalk 24 / 01 / 2023 16:52 Page 9
News
Huge anti-government protest in Madrid
Emergency beacon
An estimated 30,000 demonstrators packed Madrid ’ s Plaza de Cibeles on January 21 to call for the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his socialist government . The event was organised by right-leaning civil society groups and backed by conservative parties including the main opposition Popular Party and the far-right party Vox .
The Sánchez administration is a coalition of the party he leads , the PSOE , and three junior partners . It has angered the right by abolishing the crime of sedition , arguing it was an outdate concept and replacing it with an offence which carries a lower sentence . A number of Catalan leaders were convicted of sedition following the region ’ s independence bid in 2017 but some have since been pardoned .
Protestors also voiced their opposition to new sexual offences legislation which increased penalties related to rape , but reduced penalties for other crimes . The leader of Vox , Santiago Abascal , denounced “ the worst government in history ” which , he claimed , “ has divided Spaniards and freed rapists and coup leaders .” The crowd waved hundrers of Spanish flags and called Sánchez a “ traitor .”
Spain faces regional and local elections in May , plus a general election which must be held before the end of the year . Early polling suggests that the Partido Popular could win the national vote but will require the support of Vox .
Christmas tragedy
Seven people died on Christmas Eve when a coach fell 75 metres from a bridge into the River Lérez in Galicia . The driver , who tested negative for alcohol and drugs , and one other passenger survived the incident . The cause of the accident was being attributed to severe weather in the area 25 kilometres north-east of Pontevedra .
Grisly finds
Two human hands found on a local beach on January 17 are thought to be those of a 45-year-old Colombian woman murdered in Marbella . Police found her decapitated body with the hands missing on January 8 and arrested her former partner , also Colombian , who had had a restraining order issued against him . He subsequently confessed to her murder .
Mind-bending Brits
A British man and woman aged 47 and 52 were arrested near Murcia last month for allegedly “ using mindbending drugs in unlicensed shamanic healing sessions .” The couple are reported to have organised rituals involving “ dangerous substances ” with no health controls . Police said they had no licence or authorisation to offer accommodation to clients at their rural house .
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The first Help Flash connected beacon for road users went on sale in Spain last month . The traditional emergency warning triangles which motorists are required to carry in their vehicle are being replaced with this modern technology . Help Flash is the first emergency smart light which features NB-IoT technology automatically connecting vehicles with traffic control centres in an emergency .
Climber dies
An investigation has opened into the death of a 37-year-old climber in the El Chorro area , near Álora , on Boxing Day . The alarm was raised by his companion who reported that his friend had been injured after falling around 60 metres while climbing the Escalera Árabe ( Arab Stairway ) in the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes Natural Park . The dead man ’ s body could not be rescued from the ledge where it lay until the following day .
Pedestrian dies
A British holidaymaker died and her partner was seriously injured after they were struck by a speeding car on Majorca in late December . The couple were reported to be waiting to use a pedestrian crossing outside Palma cathedral when a 4x4 Opel Frontera mounted the pavement . The female driver is reported to have tested negative for alcohol but has been charged with manslaughter .
Royal brawl
King Felipe ’ s nephew is reported to be under investigation following an incident in Madrid during November . The 24-year-old , known as Froilán , is the older son of the King ’ s sister Elena and is believed to have been involved in a brawl outside a nightclub in which knives were involved . Froilán is fourth in line to the Spanish throne .