Spain´s Valued Institution

As King Juan Carlos celebrates 30 years on the Spanish throne, the liberal daily El País published an interesting poll on Tuesday that reflects what people in Spain say about their monarch. Fifty-nine percent of Spaniards believe that the monarchy is neccessary for the continuation of democracy in their country. About 79 percent of those interviewed also believe that King Juan Carlos has done a fine or good job as the constitutional head of state, the newspaper reported. Spaniards also say that the crown is their country´s most valued institution followed by the press, parliament and local governmental body, the El País poll states. Seventy percent also give the king´s successor, his son Felipe, the prince of Asturias, high marks and say he is capable of taking over from his father (both seen above). About 1,000 people were interviewed for the poll, which was conducted between Nov. 7-8. It has a 3.10 plus or minus margin of error.

It was a quiet, low-keyed celebration for King Juan Carlos and his family. There were no parades or speeches. While Spaniards love a day home from work, the government surprisingly didn´t declare it a public holiday. Television specials and documentaries tracing the life of the monarch were transmitted during the day. Newspapers carried special pull out sections, and Radio Nacional de España´s classic station was to broadcast a special concert live from Tenerife auditorium in the Canary Islands with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia in attendance.

Franco is Gone But His Memory Endures

Tommorrow marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Generalismo Francisco Franco as well as the demise of a brutal right-wing dictatorship that not only stagnated the economy but the minds of millions and ostracized Spain from the most of the free world. Thirty years is not a long time for a generation to forget one of its most bitter periods in modern history. But judging by the tense political climate that exists in Spain today, a lot of misguided young people believe they would be better off with another nationalist figure leading their country.

By putting a group of campaign promises on the fast track, the current Socialist government has created a wave of deception among many sectors who claim traditional Spanish values are being eroded. First, Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero Rodríguez placed himself at odds with the Catholic Church when his Socialist Party legalized gay marriages in July. Nevermind that 70 percent of Spanish citizens have said they supported the measure, according to polls on the issue. The opposition Popular Party is challenging the new law before the Supreme Court even though some of its top members have warned that it would be political suicide to have it overturned.

Next, Zapatero struck a nationalistic cord when he paved the way to give greater autonomy to the industial rich Catalonia region (see Nov. 4 post). The statute, which calls for fiscal, judicial and political independence from Madrid, still needs to be approved by Congress before it takes effect. But the Socialist government saw the biggest opposition outcry when nearly 500,000 people took to the streets of Madrid last weekend to demand that the government retract its proposed educational reform law. The new school curriculum downgrades religious study and allows parents to select whether they want their children to take Catholic courses in public institutions. A massive march was organized by the church and lay groups, which bused in thousands from all parts of the country to take part in the protest. But the consequences for the Catholic Church are far more economic than tradition. Church leaders stand to loose millions of euros in government subsidies if the Organic Educational Law is approved.


Many see the current tide in Spanish politics as a repeat of what occurred during the perlious days of the republic that led to the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War. The left wing government had imprisoned many priests and nuns for supporting landowners. It created a fear campaign about the growing nationalist movements in Hitler´s Germany and Mussolini´s Italy. The Army, with its traditional right-wing philosophy and close ties to the Vatican, rebeled and the three year bloody conflict ensued. Franco prevailed and ruled Spain with an iron grip for the next 36 years. After World War II, the United States and its Western Allies ostracized Spain for its fascist policies. But at the beginning of the Cold War in the 1950s, President Eisenhower and his "son-of-a-bitch policy" warmed up to Spain after negotiating with Franco to lease the United States military bases.

Although Zapatero still enjoys a high rating among Spaniards, a government poll last week showed that his popularity is waning. The right wing Falange Party -- one of Franco´s lasting vestiges -- held a rally on Friday complete with fascists salutes to protest Zapatero (photo above right). Spain´s old guard considers Zapatero and his government anti-American, anti-clergy and anti-military. The Bush administration hasn´t forgiven Zapatero for pulling out Spanish troops from Iraq last year and refusing to stand up during Madrid´s annual Columbus Day parade in 2003 as the American flag was carried by.

Zapatero has done much to modernize his country by breaking from the past. Spain needs to chart its own course and develop its own identity in this age of globalization. Traditional values, which were crucial in past for maintaining solidarity among citizens, may not be the recipes to continue to thrust a prosperous, successful economy toward the 21st century.

Turkmenistan -- Discreet Troublemaker

It´s a place where an authoritarian government turns a blind eye to tons of heroin that heads north to Russia and Western Europe. It´s a country where radical Islamic fundamentalism is growing, paving the way for Al Qaeda to form another base from where to operate. And it´s one of the last nations in the world whose leader enjoys the reverence of his people by imposing a ruthless personality cult worship.

Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic, could be the next threat for peace and security in the Middle East. This Central Asian nation of about 5 million on the Caspian Sea, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been a behind-the-scenes agitator in the volatile confrontation between the United States, Iran and Islamic extremists. Eighty-nine percent of the population is Muslim. Outside religious groups, such as Orthodox Christians, have criticized the United States for failing to include the country on a watchdog list of nations where religious freedoms are being curtailed. The Russian Orthodox Church, whose membership accounts for about nine percent of the population, says the Turkmen government does not allow it to practice openly.

In 1995, Turkmenistan declared its neutrality from regional conflicts, which was recognized by the United Nations. During the Afghan war, many Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders fled to Turkmenistan where they were given safehaven. Intelligence analysts believe that the Turkmen government of President Saparmurat Niyazov (above left) is allowing guerilla forces use his country to disrupt the fledging democratic process in Afghanistan. "Allah is your creator and the motherland is your defender," Niyazov oftens states. Niyazov´s reported take is a profitable portion of illegal heroin industry initiated in the poppy farms across Afghanistan. According to the CIA World Factbook, Turkmenistan has become an important transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russia and West European markets. It is also a transit point for heroin precursor chemicals headed toward Afghanistan.

Elected in 1990, Niyazov rules Turkmenistan with a heavy hand. Foreign visitors are often trailed and under suspicion. To obtain a tourist visa, a visitor must have a letter of invitation from a person or an entity inside the country, which is then registered with the government. The BBC World Service on Thursday broadcast a lengthy report about the crumbling health care system in Turkmenistan. According to the BBC reporter, who entered clandestinely, there is a shortage of doctors because many have left the country. Drugs are also scarce because the government has allotted no money to the health system. Many sick and dying risk their lives to escape across the restricted border to neighboring Uzbekistan.

While his people face severe hardships, the narcistic Niyazov continues to impose a cult worship. Bronze statues and oil paintings of the 65-year-old, jet-black dyed-hair president are everywhere. Textile factories, schools, farms and even the international airport in the capital of Ashgabat are named after him. He has even erected a statue of his mother holding him in his arms when he was a baby. In 1999, the People´s Council unanimously approved him president for life. The country´s beleaguered opposition in exile was dealt a stunning blow in 2002 when Niyazov had who he believed was his main rival, then-Foreign Minister Boris Shikhmuradov, thrown in prison following an assassination attempt on the president´s life.

As President Bush continues to propound an axis of evil between nations like Iran and North Korea, policy makers cannot overlook countries like Turkmenistan that operate from behind the curtains on the international stage of confrontation. With more exposure and publicity about the dealings of these little-known countries, international pressure could help curtail what could become another quandary in a perlious region.

Another fine mess

Talk about a political mess committed by Venezuela´s Hugo Chávez Frías. This self-proclaimed successor of Simón Bolívar wants to continue basking in the limelight because he believes he scored big time at the recent Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina. But he crossed the diplomatic line on Sunday when he threatened Mexican President Vicente Fox and then divulged a confidential video of a closed door meeting between Latin American leaders.

Mexico has now announced that it will severe diplomatic ties with Venezuela if Chávez doesn´t apologize for calling Fox "a puppy" of the United States and unleashing a dire warning against the Mexican leader.

Fox has been critical of Chávez´s behavior at the summit and blamed Argentine President Néstor Kirchner for allowing the Venezuelan leader to try to divert attention from work at the conference. Chávez led a protest rally against free trade in which 40,000 people attended at a nearby stadium (see Nov. 7 post). Fox told the BBC World Service that Kirchner should have never allowed such a spectacle in his own backyard.

During his weekly radio show on Sunday in Caracas, Chávez warned Fox not to mess with him. "I am like a thorny wildflower. I give off aroma to those who pass and thorn-prick those who move me. Don´t mess with me, sir, or you will get thorn-pricked," Chávez told Fox in his program. At the same time, he showed a video of the various reactions of the region´s leaders, including that of George Bush, during a closed door conference in which a free trade proposal was discussed. "Sir, your initiative was defeated," he said in reference to Bush´s push for an agreement. "It was a knockout, gentleman, a knockout, sir."

Chávez´s unabashed comments toward Fox can be seen as a not-so-subtle declaration of war. Not only has Chávez increased political tensions between his country and Mexico, he has put in jeopardy relations with other Latin American nations that consider Mexico an important ally. Chávez also violated the confidence of many of his Latin American colleagues who no doubt will question whether they can ever again trust this Venezuelan leader.

God will punish you

Morality icon Rev. Pat Robertson once again is in the news. This time he has cast his wrath against the people of Dover, Pennsylvania for voting against eight school board members who supported teaching the theory of "intelligent design." The colorful Robertson warned Dover residents that if a disaster should befall their city they should not turn to God for help. "If they have future problems in Dover, I recommend they call on Charles Darwin. Maybe he can help them," he told the Associated Press.

The ouster of the school board directors during Tuesday´s election came on the heels of a federal trial in which eight families sued the Dover school district for trying to introduce "intelligent design" — the belief that the universe is so complex that it must have been created by a higher power — as an alternative to the theory of evolution.

Robertson, you may recall, caused an international incident when he said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez should be "taken out" by the U.S. government to avoid another costly war. The White House, whose current occupant enjoys Robertson´s support and has conferred with him on many ocassions, distanced itself from the preacher´s remarks. The Venezuelan government, meanwhile, has called for his extradition to face criminal charges for supporting the assasination of a political leader.

Robertson is just another in one long line of fundamentalists who try to invoke the fear of God in their daily worships, but instead foment hate and revenge and then come out losing. One of my favorite examples is R.G. "Brother" Stair whose far-fetch interpretations of the Bible are broadcast everyday on shortwave via WWCR and WWRB. Claiming to be the final day prophet, this eccentric South Carolina preacher, known by some as "Brother Scare," lived in a closed commune with dozens of his followers who grew their own food and sewed their own clothes. In 2002, law enforcement authorities arrested Stair (above right) for allegedly raping several women inside the compound. The women charged that Stair had downloaded pornography from the Internet and gave them herbal teas to induce abortions, according to Walterboro, S.C. press reports. Stair spent two months in jail and in 2004 he pleaded guilty to assault and battery charges. With his gravelly emotional tenor voice, he asked his listeners for forgiveness in his shortwave broadcasts. About a dozen of his former followers have filed a civil lawsuit against Stair seeking nearly $200,000 in damages from his Overcomer Ministries.

A Caribbean stray in Europe

It always amazes me -- and sometimes it´s a bit scary -- how life takes sudden turns and all of sudden you find yourself in a different place with different sets of responsibilities. But it just doesn´t happen to people -- pets also get caught up in the whirlwind changes of their masters´ livestyles.

Toby and I met one night outside a bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico sometime in February 2002. It was a humid but cool night. The bar owners left the front door open to help ventilate the smoke and let the fresh air in. Wagging his tail in delight, the miniature mutt stood out on the sidewalk peering in the doorway as if he were waiting for somebody, though he was very hesitant about coming inside. It was love at first sight!

He had no collar and appeared to be a stray puppy. After pondering what to do (and a few beers later), I decided to load him in my Suzuki Vitara and take him home. I felt that he had bumps on his skin -- the poor fellow was full of ticks. When we arrived, I gave him a can of tuna fish and water. He gobbled away, and then washed it all down with loud laps. I set out a bathroom rug on the cold ceramic tile floor. He plopped down with his face toward the wall and minutes later he was knocked out cold. For the next few years, he took over my condominium complex barking viciously from my penthouse balcony at passing dogs as to let them know he was now king of the hill. Fortunately, Toby endeared himself to my neighbors who adopted him as one of their own.

Then, it came time to leave Puerto Rico. We were going to Europe. I had never traveled with a dog anywhere so this was going to be an experience. First, Toby needed a microchip before he could enter the European Union. Then, his veternarian had to give him a health certificate which had to be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and taken down to the Puerto Rican State Department so that it can be certified with the Apostile of the Haague -- a formality to assure European officials that the vet and the USDA official are legitimate. Much haggling with the airline came afterwards to allow me to take Toby inside the cabin for the eight hour journey. So much fuss for little stray, my friends said.

The day we left, Toby knew something was up. An empty condo, packed bags, neighbors coming up to say goodbye (photo above) and my renters moving in their furniture, I believe he really thought he was going to be left behind.

Toby is now about three years old living it up in Madrid, playing (and fighting!) with his new European canine friends at a neighborhood park, and slowly adjusting to his first winter. Not too long ago a woman asked me whether it would have been cheaper just to get a new dog here in Madrid instead of paying what I had to pay to bring Toby abroad. Obviously, I thought, this woman is no dog lover.

Upheaval in Europe

The scorge of riots set off in neighboring France not only pose a threat to security across the continent, but it could also be the spark that could inflame all ready turbulent racial tensions across Europe.

After an emergency meeting with his cabinet on Tuesday, President Jacques Chirac announced that prefects in different districts across France will have the authority to impose a curfew to curtail the violence. Another emergency measure would allow authorities to search homes where they believe stockpile of weapons are being stored. During a television interview on Monday night, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin (seen above left) acknowledged that sub-Saharan immigrants and others from the former African colonies faced discrimination in his country.

The riots began 12 nights ago outside of Paris when migrants set ablaze automobiles to protest the accidental electrocution of two youths fleeing police. A third youth who was badly burned when his two friends were killed, has called for calm. But the unrest has spread all across the country and spilled over to parts of Germany and Belgium. Here in Spain where many migrants from Morocco, Latin America and Eastern Europe live, discrimination is also widespread. Those from Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and other South American countries have grouped together to call for better treatment in terms of employment and equal opportunities. They have gained some ground. Last month, political tensions came to a head between Spain and Morocco over the treatment of sub-Saharan Africans who tried to enter the country by storming a security fence in the Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta. Eleven were allegedly shot by Moroccan police while others were taken to country´s southern border and reportedly left in the desert without food or water, eye witnesses have told the media. If the Africans can make it to the enclaves they can then travel within the European Union with little restrictions.

Right wing politicians in countries such as France, Germany and Austria have in the past made it clear that migrants only spell problems. They have waged fear campaigns and evoked nationalist passions among some Europeans who are now beginning to question whether to allow other countries such as Turkey and Bulgaria into the EU. If the French government doesn´t take a strong hand now in quelling the unrest and opening a dialogue with the migrants, the problem could magnify into a political one for the rest of Europe -- one that is founded on hatred and bigotry.

Free Trade´s Biggest Loser

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías no doubt believes that he was successful in stealing the show while at the same time throwing a monkey wrench in the free trade negotiations over the weekend at the Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina. His populist views along with an aim to promote socialism across the Latin American continent have won over many in the region. To the dismay of some leaders, like Mexico´s Vicente Fox, Argentine President Néstor Kirchner let Chávez take center stage and hold a massive rally at a stadium which turned out to be a U.S.-bashing, socialist-flag-waving event. Jumping up and down in perfect rhythm at his podium, Chávez led about 40,000 protesters show the world that they were trouncing on the U.S.-backed initiative. The Venezuelan president says that any free trade accord will be drafted by the Latin American nations themselves and not the United States. His position was supported by Argentina and Brazil, the region´s largest economies.

But Venezuela has a lot to lose by backing out of its promise to start free trade talks next year. As the petroleum market continues to soar, the country once again is riding on the coat tails of a false hope oil bonanza as it did during the world´s energy crisis of the 1970s. During that time, the country´s economy improved drastically as did the lifestyles of many Venezuelans. Unfortunately new found riches fueled corruption in government, which led to a series of disasterous political administrations. The growing problem of political patronage and inefficency in public services compounded by an overall deterioration in living standards evoked an array of discontent that brought Chávez where he is today.

The once Army rebel leader who unsuccessfully led a coup in 1992 against President Carlos Andrés Pérez is slowly adopting policies enacted in Cuba in the 1960s as he promotes his own type of "socialism for the 21st century." Much like Robin Hood, his government is confiscating private properties, including empty vacation homes, which are not being used or occupied and turning them over to the country´s poor. Although he hasn´t imposed precise travel restrictions, he has limited the annual amount of dollars a Venezuelan can exchange to go abroad. Many well educated residents, who have the means and the determination, have left Venezuela entirely starting new lives in cities like Miami and Madrid.

As he enjoys this wave of popularity among Latin America´s poor and capitalizes on the oil boom, Chávez has become another in a long line of shortsighted Venezuelan presidents who has overlooked diversifying his country´s economy. Venezuela´s vast riches include promising but inefficient state run aluminum and steel industries that can offer so much to the rest of the continent, including the United States. A good portion of the country´s gold resources is untapped because there has been no drive to seek scientific investigations or outside investors. Even with some of the best beaches in the Caribbean and the largest waterfall in the world, the tourism industry is still underdeveloped.

Latin Americans love when their leaders stand up and ridicule a U.S. president -- especially if it is someone like George W. Bush. But be it what the United States represents to many, Latin America, with its history of inept presidents and misguided policies, needs to commingle with the United States economy if its leaders really intend on improving the lives of their people.

On the road to the Republic of Catalonia?

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero scored a victory this week when the Spanish parliament voted to consider a controversial statute that would give the residents in the rich northeastern region of Catalonia more automony over their political, fiscal and judicial affairs. Known in the regional Catalan language as the "Estatut," this mini declaration of rights has been at the center of a political storm for weeks between Spain´s liberal and conservative parties who disagree over what greater autonomy for Catalonia should entail. On Thursday, the Chamber of Deputies voted 197 to 146 to open negotiations with the Catalan regional government, which drafted and presented the statute to Madrid in September.

Among the touchy points, Spanish politicos are at loggerheads over Catalonia´s inclusion of a proposed clause stating that "Catalonia is a nation." After receiving a public bashing from different sectors who fear allowing the region to proclaim itself a nation would be the first step toward independence, Zapatero has instead proposed a different clause that reaffirms that Catalonia has its own "national identity."

During a passionate debate that lasted into the early hours of the morning on Thursday, Zapatero (seen in the AFP photo above speaking with his Defense Minister José Bono, right, prior to speaking in Congress) rejected that the statute would give residents broader powers over the constitution. He called on the opposition Popular Party and its leader Mariano Rajoy, who refuses to negotiate, to take any concerns they may have with the document to the Supreme Court. "That is why we have a democracy," said the Spanish prime minister, who is leader of the Socialist party. Rajoy said that the differences between statute and the national constitution are "so abysmal" that negotiations are impossible. The conservative leader has also threatened to call for early elections should statute negotiations fall apart in the coming months.

Barcelona, the seat of the Catalan government, is the second largest city in Spain and the country´s industrial capital. Any breakup of the Spanish constitutional monarchy as it is now could mean financial ruin for Spain. The Madrid government for years has been ignoring calls from the country´s autonomous regions for greater political power. Some of the demands have been less than peaceful pleas. In the northern Basque region, the separatist terrorist group ETA has claimed responsibility for the more than 300 deaths caused by bombing attacks since the 1980s.

Although he has been tough on terrorism, Zapatero has also been a proponent in opening dialogue with his country´s regional governments. During his election campaign, he promised greater autonomy for the Catalonia government -- a goal he appears to be accomplishing judging by last Thursday´s vote in parliament. But the prime minister still has the undaunting task in convincing many Spaniards that autonomy and independence are two separate situations with the latter being unacceptable.