Spain goes
into lockdown
Government
infighting delays announcement of measures to contain coronavirus.
By AITOR
HERNÁNDEZ-MORALES 3/14/20, 11:18 PM CET Updated 3/14/20, 11:21 PM CET
Prime
Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed the nation on Saturday evening to announce the
moves being taken in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus — there have
been 6,271 confirmed cases and 189 people have died.
From Sunday
on, the country's 46 million citizens can only leave their homes to buy
groceries and pharmaceutical products, go to the bank or hospital, or to take care
of dependents. While on the street, they must be unaccompanied at all times,
and while they can go to work, most workplaces are to be closed to the public
until further notice. Among the exceptions are markets and pharmacies, but also
barbershops, dry cleaners and stores that sell tobacco products.
As part of
the "state of alarm" measures, Spain’s armed forces, police and civil
protection officers, as well as the country's health workers, are now under the
direct command of the national government. Air, rail, maritime and road
transport will continue, but are being reduced by between 40 and 60 percent,
and flights to the Canary and Balearic Islands, as well as to the autonomous
cities of Ceuta and Meilla in North Africa, are to be reduced by half.
The decree
signed by the government closes all schools, museums, libraries, hotels and
restaurants, and prohibits sporting and cultural activities. The government
also reserves the right to take over factories and energy utilities.
Deputy
Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias attended the meeting in person, ignoring medical
advice that he remain in quarantine for two week.
Emergency
powers are to be administered by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska,
Defense Minister Margarita Robles, Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos and
Health Minister Salvador Illa, all of whom are linked to Sánchez’s Socialist
Party. The decree's initial duration is 15 days, but it can be extended with
the approval of the parliament.
The
"state of alarm" was approved a day and a half after Sánchez
announced his intention to enact emergency measures, and after a marathon,
eight-hour meeting of the coalition government's Council of Ministers that was
marred by tense infighting.
In an
unexpected development, Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias attended the
meeting in person, ignoring medical advice that he remain in quarantine for two
weeks after his partner, Equality Minister Irene Montero, tested positive for
coronavirus on Thursday.
According
to government officials quoted in El Mundo, Iglesias insisted on showing up to
the Council of Ministers in order to object to the concentration of power under
Socialist ministers and to demand that politicians belonging to his Unidas
Podemos party be given prominent roles in the emergency response team,
The same
officials said that the meeting dragged on because Iglesias wanted the decree
be modified to include social measures such as government aid aimed at helping
needy families pay their rent and mortgages. According to El País, Finance
Minister Nadia Calviño opposed the proposal because of its considerable cost in
the midst of what will likely be an economic crisis.
The
infighting delayed the implementation of the emergency measures and obliged
Sánchez to cancel a planned teleconference with the leaders of Spain's regional
governments. Members of the conservative opposition blasted Sánchez for the
delay and questioned the coalition government's capacity to handle the response
to the pandemic.
The
measures that Iglesias demanded were not included in the final version of the
decree, but Sánchez confirmed that additional financial aid would be announced
in the coming days.
In his
speech announcing the measures, the prime minister apologized for the delay,
and many interpreted a comment about it being time to show "responsibility
and a commitment to the most vulnerable" citizens as a swipe at his
coalition partners. Sánchez dismissed reporters' questions about the apparent
divisions in the coalition government but admitted that his "debate"
with Iglesias had been "intense."
Sánchez was
also asked if he planned to do anything about the considerable number of people
who have fled Madrid — currently the most affected region of Spain, with 2,940
confirmed cases — and sought refuge in their summer homes on the Spanish coast,
likely spreading the virus to less hard-hit regions.
The prime
minister sought to downplay the exodus and said he hoped that the public would
behave responsibly and adhere to the measures announced in the decree. He added
that those who had travelled to their vacation homes would be able to go back
to their main homes, but would have to follow government rules when doing so.
France
closes bars and restaurants over coronavirus
‘We must
absolutely limit movement, meetings and contacts,’ says prime minister.
By ELISA
BRAUN 3/14/20, 9:26 PM CET Updated 3/14/20, 9:26 PM CET
PARIS —
France has tightened its restrictions in response to the rising death toll from
coronavirus, ordering all non-essential shops and services to close.
Announcing
the measures Saturday evening, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said
supermarkets, newsstands and pharmacies will be the only retailers allowed to
remain open.
Restaurants,
bars, cafés, cinemas and nightclubs will have to close.
“We must
absolutely limit movement, meetings and contacts,” Philippe said. He added that
the government had no choice but to make the move because too many people were
still out in the streets and not abiding by earlier measures, including keeping
a safe distance from each other.
Public
transport would continue to run, but the government said it expected companies
to put in place systems for people to work from home beginning Monday.
However,
the first round of local elections on Sunday is going ahead.
On
Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron said schools, universities and crèches will
be shut from Monday due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In a
televised address to the nation on Thursday evening, Macron outlined a range of
measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus, protecting those
particularly vulnerable, maintaining France's health care system and supporting
the economy.
“We are only at the beginning of this
epidemic. Everywhere in Europe, it is accelerating and intensifying,” Macron
said at the time.
Some 4,500
people have been tested positive, 300 people are in intensive care and 91
people have died as a result of coronavirus in France.
Authors:
Elisa Braun
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