After a critical week of forest fires from north to south of the country, with dozens of fronts, three deaths, several injuries, hundreds evacuated from their homes and sad records such as having suffered the most devastating fire in the history of Spain - that of Molezuelas de la Carballeda, in Zamora - or the largest in the history of Galicia - that of Chandrexa, in Orense - Pedro Sánchez leaves his vacation retreat in La Mareta (Lanzarote). Yesterday, the President of the Government interrupted his rest to preside over the crisis committee set up by the Ministry of the Interior last Tuesday and today he will visit two of the most dramatic points in the fight against the fire to learn about the progress of the situation on the ground.
There have been many criticisms and calls from the PP towards Sánchez and the Government, considering that they could do much more to help the autonomous communities fight the fires. The Interior Ministry, Defense Ministry and Ecological Transition Ministry have been committed to providing resources to regional governments, from air resources to the deployment of UME soldiers. However, political leadership had been called for in the face of an overwhelming situation that the PP defines as a national crisis and for which it demanded that we go beyond the usual protocols or lines to provide the autonomous communities with extraordinary resources. Such as the deployment of the Army and its material resources.
Faced with the void, the Popular Party (PP) has been setting the pace for the Executive this week, whether through initiatives or with Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who has addressed several of the fronts fighting the fire. It was the PP that called for help from the European Union. Something the government finally did a few hours later, allowing two tanker planes sent by France to take to the skies above Orense.
During this critical week, Sánchez has posted on social media, but it wasn't until yesterday that he reappeared. He participated for the first time in the daily meeting of the CECOD (State Committee for Coordination and Management of the State Emergency Plan), which is usually chaired by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The president connected via video call from La Mareta.
The turnaround is complete. The President of the Government will travel this morning to the areas affected by the forest fires in Orense and León and plans to meet with the heads of the emergency and coordination teams, according to the Moncloa government. It has also been announced that he will tour other affected areas of the country in the coming days.
Sánchez's full reappearance will be made today. The president will address the media at a forward command post. It will be the first time he speaks outside of social media.
Another criticism that Sánchez has been leveled at in recent days is that he hasn't contacted the regional presidents to inquire about the situation. It wasn't until Friday that he began to do so. It was during a round of calls that led him to speak with Alfonso Rueda (Galicia), Alfonso Fernández Mañueco (Castilla y León), María Guardiola (Extremadura), and Adrián Barbón (Asturias).
Once again, the image of delay emerges. The King had telephoned the affected presidents long before, starting on Tuesday, to ask them about their fires. The emergency was already spiraling out of control, and the magnitude of the tragedy was becoming apparent. Felipe VI contacted the presidents of Madrid, Andalusia, Galicia, Castile and León, and Castile-La Mancha that same Tuesday; on Wednesday, he contacted the president of Extremadura; on Thursday, he contacted the presidents of Asturias, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community; and on Friday, he contacted the president of Aragon.
It seems the government is now determined to raise awareness about what it's doing in this crisis so as not to be caught up in the opposition's criticism and the narrative that it's on vacation without taking action. In recent days, the ministries involved have offered a wealth of information about the deployment of their troops, whether it's the mobilized air resources, the deployed UME soldiers, or the number of people arrested or under investigation for their alleged involvement in the fires believed to have been arson.
Likewise, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, was yesterday visiting the areas of Orense and Zamora affected by the fire.
