Rajoy's strange neighborhood policy

Mariano Rajoy of Spain has added a new international tension to his conflict with the UK over Gibraltar. This time is with Portugal. He has instructed his Permanent Mission in New York to send a Note Verbale to the UN Secretariat stating that Spain considers the Selvagens Islands, an archipelago South of Madeira Island and on the way to Canary Islands, as a mere collection of rocks. And for that reason, Spain cannot accept any Portuguese claim over the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Selvagens. 

This position is touching a sensitive chord in Portuguese history. There has been, in the past, for many centuries, a strong anti-Spanish patriotic feeling. This feeling has been seriously attenuated during the last two decades, but it is still there. It is never a good idea to kick the sleeping dog. 

Rajoy's can of worms

Rajoy’s circus around Gibraltar reminds all of us that Portugal has also a long standing territorial claim over Olivenza, a town in the Estremadura Province of Spain. The town and the surrounding countryside have been under Spanish control since the War of Oranges in 1801, but it is not recognized by Portugal. The area has been Portuguese territory since 1297.

Gibraltar also brings back the dispute between Spain and Morocco regarding two North African cities, Ceuta and Melilla. Both are under Spanish sovereignty notwithstanding the fact that they are located in the part of Africa that defines Morocco.

Rajoy is therefore opening a can of worms. He should instead focus on the Spanish economy and answer to the accusations of bribery and corruption that allegedly are so closely associated to his political career. 

Rajoy's plot

The noise made by Madrid around Gibraltar in the last few days is a manoeuvre, by the embattled Prime Minister of Spain, to divert people’s attention from the political mess in which he dug himself in.

Today's word in Spain

There is one word in today’s Spain that has plenty of currency among the ordinary people. It is a word that expresses the disgust and displeasure of almost everyone with present-day politics and the politicians. It is also an indication that the crisis in Spain is much deeper than the economy, the banking situation and the skyrocketed rate of unemployment. No need to guess. The word is … corruption!