Stories from Madrid · Spain

A businesswoman has alleged illegal funding involving a political party in Spain. A witness testified that Coldo received 7,000 euros in cash from the Socialist Party. The testimony regarding the source of the funds remains unverified.

Spain lost 170,000 jobs during the most recent quarter, according to macroeconomic data. A commentator noted that while AI is being used for translation, human workers spend time correcting AI errors for lower pay. The report was shared on May 1, Labor Day.

Major unions including UGT and CCOO organized demonstrations in Madrid on May 1. Protesters marched from Gran Vía to Plaza de España starting at 12:00 PM. The unions are demanding rights regarding wages, housing, and democracy.

A total of 13,586 small businesses closed in Spain last year, averaging approximately 37 store closures per day. According to the trade association Acotex, the retail sector grew by 0.6% with a turnover of 11.107 billion euros.

Teresa Peramato has been named the new Attorney General of Spain. The transition involves a shift in the judicial hierarchy, as the new appointee replaces a prosecutor from a much lower rank. The appointment follows her appearance before the Congress where she issued a statement titled 'Healing Wounds' regarding the state of the Public Prosecutor's Office. The source describes the current state of the Spanish Prosecutor's Office as a deep wound. Her appointment follows the departure of the previous Attorney General, García Ortiz. Media reports suggest the move is viewed by some as a purge, as the majority association of prosecutors has released a statement in response to the recent leadership changes. The new appointee will succeed the Superior Prosecutor of Madrid, Moderna Lastra, who is being replaced by a prosecutor lower in the hierarchy.

Nearly 49% of employees in Spain report experiencing workplace violence, including verbal and physical risks. Mental health-related sick leaves in the country have increased by almost 70% in recent years.

Ivana Rodríguez, winner of the Spanish television show Top Chef, donated 100,000 euros to the El Ángel de Javi foundation. Her sister contributed an additional 120,000 euros to the project.

The initiative aims to implement worker identity verification to prevent criminal organizations from using duplicate documents to facilitate illegal labor. Moret stated the move is socially for both workers and the migrant labor force typically utilized in the sector.

The head of the Public Ministry has not yet consolidated the appointment of Julián Salto to the National Court. Salto is the prosecutor who investigated tax fraud involving a commission agent. A prosecutor has been impeached in a case, an event that has never happened before. A judge is needed to address the harassment, persecution, and violence against citizens who have a right to privacy, including the wife of the President of the government. The question is how long this violence will be tolerated. Twenty-five percent of the planned production for winter cereals could not be sown. January's storms are expected to flood the remaining planted wheat. Consequently, sown hectares of winter cereals have been left fallow or planted with sunflowers. Some eligible land for cotton planting may not have been sown.

Medical strikes in Spain have significantly increased surgical waitlists in several regions. In the Basque Country, surgical lists rose from 54 to 78 cases since late December, while patients waiting over six months are ten times more numerous than before the strikes, according to the health counselor. In Cantabria, surgical lists increased by 4% and in the Balearic Islands by 3%. Health officials plan to use private contracted centers to address the backlog. In Cantabria, specialist consultation wait times are growing by three to six days each week. Catalonia reports a slight worsening in non-urgent surgeries, and similar trends are noted in Madrid. Data covering seven autonomous communities has been released regarding the effects of canceled appointments and operations.