Spain's Sánchez cuts holiday short for eclipse, closes Yebes Observatory to public
Pedro Sánchez leaves La Mareta for the Yebes Observatory, and the closure to the public sparks debate over the Spanish prime minister's distance from citizens.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Sánchez retreats to Yebes Observatory to watch the eclipse
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez interrupted his holiday at La Mareta, the official residence in Lanzarote, to travel to the Yebes Observatory in Guadalajara and watch the solar eclipse. The image would have remained a mere anecdote had it not been for the fact that the facility was closed to the public during the visit. In the middle of the prime minister's summer break, the closure of a scientific site to citizens has peine the debate over Sánchez's style of leadership.
The visit and its political counterpoint
The Yebes Observatory, known for its telescopes and radiotelescopes, is one of the most prized spots for astronomy enthusiasts. The president deciding to watch the eclipse from there would not be news in itself; the controversy lies in the fact that access was closed to anyone outside the delegation. Security protocols explain the measure, but they do not appease those who see in it a gesture of detachment. The irony is that a natural phenomenon, which draws thousands of people to look up at the sky, served as the occasion for the head of government to look the other way.
From the monarchical comparison to the deeper debate
The reactions to the episode echo, with varying degrees of aptness, comparisons with the monarchs of the Ancien Régime. It is not hard to find people resorting to historical similes to illustrate the distance between power and the citizenry. Alongside the discontent, some have also pointed out that truthfulness in political discourse is not exactly the most widespread virtue among those who govern. The underlying question, however, is not the eclipse, but whether a prime minister should be able to tell the public from the private.
Meanwhile, citizens who wanted to see the eclipse had to do so from their balconies or through the media, as always. The universe waits for no one, not even a prime minister. And politics, with its closures and openings, goes on.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez interrupted his holiday at La Mareta, the official residence in Lanzarote, to travel to the Yebes Observatory in Guadalajara and watch the solar eclipse. The image would have remained a mere anecdote had it not been for the fact that the facility was closed to the public during the visit. In the middle of the prime minister's summer break, the closure of a scientific site to citizens has peine the debate over Sánchez's style of leadership.
The visit and its political counterpoint
The Yebes Observatory, known for its telescopes and radiotelescopes, is one of the most prized spots for astronomy enthusiasts. The president deciding to watch the eclipse from there would not be news in itself; the controversy lies in the fact that access was closed to anyone outside the delegation. Security protocols explain the measure, but they do not appease those who see in it a gesture of detachment. The irony is that a natural phenomenon, which draws thousands of people to look up at the sky, served as the occasion for the head of government to look the other way.
From the monarchical comparison to the deeper debate
The reactions to the episode echo, with varying degrees of aptness, comparisons with the monarchs of the Ancien Régime. It is not hard to find people resorting to historical similes to illustrate the distance between power and the citizenry. Alongside the discontent, some have also pointed out that truthfulness in political discourse is not exactly the most widespread virtue among those who govern. The underlying question, however, is not the eclipse, but whether a prime minister should be able to tell the public from the private.
Meanwhile, citizens who wanted to see the eclipse had to do so from their balconies or through the media, as always. The universe waits for no one, not even a prime minister. And politics, with its closures and openings, goes on.
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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 (16 replies).
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