Stories from Madrid · Spain

Prosecutors are requesting up to 24 years in prison for a former minister involved in pandemic-era medical supply contracts. The investigation focuses on the procurement of sanitary materials, specifically face masks, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ortega Smith will continue to serve as the spokesperson for the VOX group in the Madrid City Council Plenary. A resolution from the General Secretariat of the Plenary clarified that the group's status remains unchanged pending a court ruling.

The Guardia Civil's traffic group reported 78,000 speeding citations during recent checks across more than 3,500 control points. Drivers were recorded exceeding limits by more than 80 km/h on certain roads. This figure represents a doubling of records from two years ago.

Vice President Yolanda Díaz has called for social mobilization in the streets following the expected rejection of a decree in the Cortes Generales. Díaz stated that while some battles are lost in parliament, they are won in the streets.

Fans of Rayo Vallecano are facing kilometer-long queues at the Vallecas stadium ticket offices. The club is preparing for a match against Strasbourg to compete for its first European title in the Conference League. Ticket prices are reported to be 105 and 125 euros depending on the category. High uncertainty and expectation surround the final sale of tickets. Rayo Vallecano players met with supporters in a atmosphere ahead of their match at 9:00 PM. The neighborhood gathered to support the team in their attempt to reach the Conference League final. The match determines the club's passage to the grand final of the competition.

A new report sent to the court last week suggests a rail rupture on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line caused a train derailment. The Analysis Commission reports that closed-circuit television cameras are installed in all eight carriages of the IRIO train involved in the derailment. The Commission warned that the current data is provisional and may change as the final report is prepared for the judge. The investigation is ongoing regarding the accident. The report ruled out anomalies in both the Iri and Alvia trains involved in the collision. Findings are based on information from 11 sources, including CCTV footage from eight wagons on the Irio train. A consumer defense association is advocating for a compensation fund to support families in the event of future general power failures. This follows a similar power failure event that occurred on April 28, 2025.

Spain's unemployment numbers increased by more than 231,000 people during the first quarter. The country lost over 170,000 jobs in a three-month period. A government spokesperson described the data as. The report follows a period of political negotiations regarding government decrees.

A scientific journal has retracted a study regarding pancreatic cancer cures in mice authored by Mariano Barbacid. The researcher, lawyer Guadalu, stated that the omission did not involve bad faith or an intent to conceal information. The academic community has not questioned the validity of the experiment itself but seeks to correct the error. The article has been withdrawn, increasing controversy surrounding Arbacid and the research team. Academic institutions have withdrawn a pancreatic cancer study previously directed by Spanish scientist Mariano Barbacid. The study was published months ago in a prestigious American scientific journal. Investigators discovered that Barbacid and his research colleagues are co-owners of a company capable of commercially exploiting the treatments. Protocols require researchers to disclose such financial interests, which were not reported.

Environment Counselor Carlos Novillo has called for the resignation of Vice President Sara Gessen and the immediate removal of electrical network president Beatriz Corredor. The demand follows the power outage in Spain on April 28 last year, described as the most in 50 years. Novillo criticized current policies for limiting nuclear energy use and moving the country in the wrong direction regarding ecological transition. The regional government continues to claim that executive leadership has failed to assume responsibility for the incident. Regulators have opened over 50 sanctioning files, mostly classified as serious, including specific cases against the electric company, Hiberdorol, and property owners. Novillo cited the major power outage on April 28, 2025, as a failure of executive responsibility.

The People's Party (PP) plans to present a proposal in Congress to end the current universal healthcare access model. The People's Party has proposed a new healthcare model in Spain. This proposal follows a decree-law passed by the Sánchez government one month ago. The government's current model aims to prevent patients without healthcare access from developing serious conditions that require more state resources than primary care treatment. The move comes amid social unrest regarding housing and precarious employment. This proposal follows previous disagreements with Vox regarding immigration-related sanitary issues. This measure aligns with previous policy stances held by María Rojo. The proposal was not part of previous agreements with Vox in Extremadura or Aragon.