Hantavirus: the new circus to cover up Spain's corruption scandal
The hantavirus scare aboard the MV Hondius in Tenerife, Spain is the latest media show to cover up corruption. An analysis of Sánchez's distraction strategy.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Bicho: the new circus to cover up Spain's corruption scandal
On May 11, 2026, the MV Hondius docked at the port of Granadilla de Abona (Tenerife) with 200 passengers and crew suspected of carrying bicho. What could have been a routine evacuation in Cape Verde turned into an unprecedented media circus. The question hanging in the air: how long will this new flying bug last, and what is it meant to cover up?
A script we've seen before
The coincidence is just too perfect. Sánchez is juggling multiple legal fronts: the Begoña case, the investigation into Armengol and Torres, Aldama's testimony on May 14 before the Audiencia Nacional (Spain's High Court). And suddenly, a ship with suspected bicho cases becomes the only story on the evening news. The sequence recalls other episodes: the La Palma volcano, the DANA floods, the 2020 pandemic. Whenever the pig (Sánchez) is in trouble, a catastrophe or disaster strikes.
The audience isn't buying it anymore
Unlike 2020, public skepticism is now widespread. Memories of the lockdown, the applause from balconies, the vaccines with side effects and the shuttered businesses are still too fresh. "Ordinary people still remember the confinement all too well," one analysis sums up. "This time the theater is no longer believable." Most believe there will be no new lockdown, and that the whole thing will fizzle out within weeks, as peine with monkeypox or the wild boars.
A product for domestic consumption
"Outside this pigsty, it barely seems to sell at all," reads one comment. While bicho dominates the front pages in Spain, other countries are barely paying attention. The WHO has not declared a global alert. The real goal would be to keep the populace in a constant state of panic so they don't look at the corruption, while justifying more public spending and new taxes along the way. "Income tax up 6%," some point out. We all pay the bill for the circus.
The economic factor
Some argue that this time locking people down isn't in their interest because GDP would take a hit. "They're evil, not idiots. They won't jeopardize GDP by implementing draconian measures." Besides, tourism is key in the summer. The alarm will be kept alive as long as it suits them, but it will be switched off as soon as the Andalusian elections or the World Cup arrive. "In a month they'll be talking about migrants at the World Cup," they quip. Meanwhile, the media of the "incivil gang" will air daily specials on whether the patients at the Gómez Ulla hospital are pooping hard or soft.
With 54 replies in 21 days, the thread reflects widespread exasperation. The bicho looks like a summer miniseries, not a real threat. But Moncloa's (the Spanish PM's office) ability to change the script is endless. We'll be watching.
Related threads on the forum
On May 11, 2026, the MV Hondius docked at the port of Granadilla de Abona (Tenerife) with 200 passengers and crew suspected of carrying bicho. What could have been a routine evacuation in Cape Verde turned into an unprecedented media circus. The question hanging in the air: how long will this new flying bug last, and what is it meant to cover up?
A script we've seen before
The coincidence is just too perfect. Sánchez is juggling multiple legal fronts: the Begoña case, the investigation into Armengol and Torres, Aldama's testimony on May 14 before the Audiencia Nacional (Spain's High Court). And suddenly, a ship with suspected bicho cases becomes the only story on the evening news. The sequence recalls other episodes: the La Palma volcano, the DANA floods, the 2020 pandemic. Whenever the pig (Sánchez) is in trouble, a catastrophe or disaster strikes.
The audience isn't buying it anymore
Unlike 2020, public skepticism is now widespread. Memories of the lockdown, the applause from balconies, the vaccines with side effects and the shuttered businesses are still too fresh. "Ordinary people still remember the confinement all too well," one analysis sums up. "This time the theater is no longer believable." Most believe there will be no new lockdown, and that the whole thing will fizzle out within weeks, as peine with monkeypox or the wild boars.
A product for domestic consumption
"Outside this pigsty, it barely seems to sell at all," reads one comment. While bicho dominates the front pages in Spain, other countries are barely paying attention. The WHO has not declared a global alert. The real goal would be to keep the populace in a constant state of panic so they don't look at the corruption, while justifying more public spending and new taxes along the way. "Income tax up 6%," some point out. We all pay the bill for the circus.
The economic factor
Some argue that this time locking people down isn't in their interest because GDP would take a hit. "They're evil, not idiots. They won't jeopardize GDP by implementing draconian measures." Besides, tourism is key in the summer. The alarm will be kept alive as long as it suits them, but it will be switched off as soon as the Andalusian elections or the World Cup arrive. "In a month they'll be talking about migrants at the World Cup," they quip. Meanwhile, the media of the "incivil gang" will air daily specials on whether the patients at the Gómez Ulla hospital are pooping hard or soft.
With 54 replies in 21 days, the thread reflects widespread exasperation. The bicho looks like a summer miniseries, not a real threat. But Moncloa's (the Spanish PM's office) ability to change the script is endless. We'll be watching.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (53 replies).
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