The government has a government spokesperson who has not served as Government spokesperson for 10 days, until this Friday.
has a vice-president of ecological transition who has not commented on the disaster caused by DANA.
There is a Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory which acts as a government spokesperson and manages immigration.
A Minister of Migration who does not manage migration.
A minister of transport who acts as spokesperson for DANA.
A Minister of Sciences and Universities which establishes the Government’s political position on the disaster.
A Minister of Culture and another of Digital transformation and public service who manage media policy.
A Minister of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda who writes to Spanish companies so that they do not operate with Israel. And that he communicates by mail with the Minister of Defense to find out if weapons are being exchanged with Israel.
And a first vice-president who has not yet spoken about DANA.
The PSOE congress
As expected, next week the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will address the changes in the Council of Ministers following the departure of the third vice president, Therese Riberawho will take over as European Commissioner.
Obviously, it is not known how far the changes will go and only Sánchez knows if the fact that much of the government is working at full capacity to deal with the serious effects of DANA will affect his plans.
In fact, it was initially said that these changes could be linked to those that could arise following the PSOE congress scheduled for the last weekend of November. And many of them would give impetus to the Government and the party at a time when various scandals broke out around the Executive.
Vice-President Teresa Ribera submits a long speech to the European Parliament this Tuesday appearance before being appointed commissioner. Although she has powers over DANA, through Aemet and the Hydrological Confederation of Júcar (CHJ), she has not spoken publicly, protected by the government, until this Friday she was interviewed on 25 Hora on Cadena Ser, although she has been participating in the crisis cabinet since day one.
The first vice president, María Jesús Montero, also participates in this commission, and it was she who convened and chaired it on the night of October 29, but she also avoided public appearances. Yes, it is coordinated internally the economic measures of the plan approved Tuesday and which will continue this Monday in the Council of Ministers, fulfilling Sánchez’s order of hyperactivity in the face of the accusations of passivity of the first days.
Since the disaster, through natural settling and political courage, the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has assumed the role of effective spokesperson for the government.. The minister acted as he did when he was mayor and so far it has worked for him.
With a very informative and educational tone and using formulas on the networks that show the assumption of responsibility for the role by themselves: “I know this is not my competence, but I once again give information which, hopefully clears up some of the confusion I’ve read” and “I’m once again entering territory that is not mine, but I think it’s important to provide some information so that hoaxes about the number of dead or missing Don’t force your way in.”
On the other hand, the minister’s spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, has ceased to play this role since the press conference which followed the Council of Ministers on October 29, a few hours before the DANA was triggered.
Another curious role is that of Diana Morant. Although he is head of the Department of Sciences and Universities, he accompanied Sánchez last Wednesday to visit the coordination center and since then he has made statements from the point of view of political strategy. Coincidentally, she is general secretary of the PSPV and will be a candidate in the next regional elections of the Valencian Community.
The Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, serves as spokesperson for the crisis cabinet against DANA. This minister has gained weight in recent months and, for example, since the summer he has assumed powers in matters of immigration and negotiation with the PP to modify the law and be able to locate migrant minors.
The only reason is that he is from the Canary Islands and, as expected, he will be a candidate in this community of which he was already regional president.
And this, despite the existence of a Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, which directs Elma Saiz. This minister caused some tension with Yolanda Díaz, Minister of Labor, regarding the flexible sick leave proposal.
It is also curious that the Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasunis the one who presented the measures in the media after a Council of Ministers, even if his department is not in charge of this issue.
The Minister of Digital Transformation and Public Service, Oscar Lopez presented the decree which modifies the electoral system of the RTVE Council. The previous reform, that of 2022, was presented and defended by the Ministry of Finance.
At this crossroads of powers, the Minister of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda, Pablo Bustinduyrecently sent a letter to Spanish companies urging them not to have commercial relations with Israel, causing unease in other ministries, such as Foreign Affairs.
Bustinduy also exchanged letters with Defense Chief Margarita Robles, with whom he sits on Tuesday at the Council of Ministers on the arms trade with Israel.
There are seven ministers who participate directly in the groups created with the Generalitat and who, in practice, are currently leading the work. They are that of Health, with the minister Monique Garcia; Infrastructure, with the minister Oscar Puente; Social services and housing, with ministers Pablo Bustinduy and Isabel Rodriguez; Employment and Business, with the second vice-president, Yolanda Diazand the Minister of the Economy, Carlos Corps, and the Interior, with the Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
