Right Wing Protest
Tens of thousands gathered in Madrid yesterday for a protest by right-wing parties opposed to a government plan to ease tension in the Catalonia region.
The centre-right PP and Ciudadanos say Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s plan to appoint an intermediary for talks with separatists amounts to treason.
The separatists have rejected the offer – they want a new independence vote.
Like the right, the ruling Socialists also oppose Catalan independence.
Far-right groups including the Vox party were also present at the protest, held under the slogan “For a united Spain. Elections now!”
In a speech, PP leader Pablo Casado denounced Mr Sánchez’s policies as “Socialist surrender” and “deals under the table”.
Speaking shortly afterwards Mr Sánchez said his party had always been on the side of dialogue, and was now attempting to resolve a crisis made worse by the PP while it was in power.
On Friday the government said the separatists had rejected its framework for talks.
Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said the situation had “stalled”, as separatist calls for an independence referendum were “not acceptable”.
Rail Crash
A train driver died and four people were seriously injured on Friday when two trains collided head-on outside Barcelona.
The crash occurred during the after-work rush hour some 50 kilometres from the Catalan capital.
The collision claimed the life of the 26-year-old driver and severely injured four passengers, while another 100 suffered minor injuries.
Sixty-five were unharmed.
Rail Company Renfe said an investigation was opened into the crash.
In November, one person died and 49 others were injured on the same line when a landslide caused a train to derail.
Elderly Death
A BRITISH 79 year old grandmother has been found dead in Andalucia after her family kept her mummified body in the house for a year.
police were only alerted to the house in Istan by her ex-husband .. he was shocked to find his ex-wife’s body, and persuaded her daughter and teenage granddaughter to tell the police.
The mother did tell a neighbour her mother had died, but they did not know the corpse was in the house
An inspection at Malaga’s Institute of Legal Medicine ruled out violence, and an autopsy will now confirm if the woman died of natural causes.
Police think the family may not have announced the woman’s death, in order to evade burial fees or to continue claiming her pension.