Back in Teruel after 30 years: impressions of a changing Spain

Teruel is no longer empty Spain: demographic transformation hits the rural heartland

After more than thirty years without setting foot in Teruel, a visitor came across a reality far removed from the stereotype of a provincial, depopulated city. The Plaza del Torico, the tourist epicentre, was at seven in the evening "absolutely packed with Africans and Segarro", an image that, in his words, evoked Lavapiés or run-down areas of Catalonia. The scene, echoed in numerous recent accounts, suggests that immigration is not only concentrated in large urban centres but also permeates the smaller provincial capitals.

The contrast with the official picture

The official narrative about empty Spain usually focuses on depopulation and ageing. However, those who have visited cities such as Teruel, Monzón or Lleida describe a different reality: a massive presence of sub-Saharan and Maghrebi populations, especially during leisure hours. One user mentioned that in Monzón, a decade ago, the centre was already occupied almost exclusively by veiled women and children. The feeling of "invasion" recurs in several accounts, albeit with nuances: some point out that these immigrants are not seen working during the day, which fuels theories about subsidised housing or a lack of labour-market integration.

Irreversibility and pessimism

The debate drifts towards the idea that demographic change is irreversible. "This has been decided by the big corporate elites: ethnic replacement and the dilution of national identities", claims a recurring analysis. The possibility that the only way out is a popular insurrection is raised, but dismissed as implausible. Others point to a phased strategy: from the current tolerance of illegal immigration to an eventual civil war or external intervention. However extreme these scenarios may sound, they reveal a current of thought gaining ground among parts of the population in the absence of visible political measures.

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What the data does not say is how coexistence is being managed in these mid-sized cities. The accounts point to a concentration of immigrants in certain spots, but offer no official figures on employment, housing or schooling. The question left hanging is whether Teruel is experiencing a one-off transformation or the prelude to a new demographic model for rural Spain.

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