Spain's response to disasters: selective solidarity?

Venezuela earthquake vs Valencia floods: the two faces of Spanish solidarity

When an earthquake strikes Venezuela, Spaniards mobilize almost immediately. When a DANA (severe weather event) devastates Valencia, the response seems lukewarm. Or at least, that is the perception that has sparked an uncomfortable debate about national character: are we more supportive of the distant problem than of our neighbour's?

Remote 'do-gooding' versus local management
One line of argument holds that Spaniards are drawn to distant drama because it allows them to play the do-gooder without being held accountable: a symbolic gesture or a one-off donation is enough. A nearby disaster, by contrast, demands measurable solutions, deadlines and accountability — something that, the argument goes, is 'utterly exhausting'. Valencia's floods are not a new problem; they have recurred for decades and administrations of every political stripe have failed to take structural measures. That is why, according to this view, anger turns inwards, towards the political class, but also towards a citizenry that 'votes and looks the other way'.

The citizen response to the DANA: another reading
Against that thesis, another reading points out that during the DANA Spaniards threw themselves into helping from minute one. Thousands of volunteers, neighbours helping neighbours, even people from other regions of Spain travelled to Valencia. 'You can say many bad things about the Spanish people, but the DANA was not an example of a lack of solidarity,' some conclude. The problem, they insist, was political: the lack of coordination between governments, the delay in declaring disaster zones, or the refusal to accept initial aid. 'The meanness was institutional, not civic,' they conclude.

A debate that raises more questions than answers
The comparison of data and experiences shows there is no single 'Spanish solidarity'. There is the spontaneous kind, organized through social media and neighbourhoods, and there is the absence of prevention and effective response from institutions. That the same country reacts quickly to an earthquake abroad and slowly to floods at home may be due both to the character of its people and to the quality of its governance. Where is the line between civic and political responsibility? The debate remains open.