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VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR Vol. 1 Issue 33 www.theolivepress.es March 10th - March 23rd 2022 FREE
March 2022
Women’s Day
END THE VIOLENCE A CAPTION
Fiona Govan Digital News Editor
International Women’s Day – celebrated annually on March 8 – is a day that commemorates the social, political and achievements of women.economic This year is particularly as we watch our sister poignant Ukrainians suffer the brutal reality making our own perceivedof war, compared to other countries struggles for equality in our in Eu- voters clearly generally rope and worldwide. Until approved. safe environments pale into comration of the 2017 State the elabo- Vox also has made some question- parison. Pact, never able statements before had a government about women’s Eighty years ago, almost committed to the eradicationbeen so working roles. to the month, as the Second of genAnd when it comes to der violence.” raged, my grandmotherWorld War itself, the proportion the workplace as Quintanilla points out of women in a Jewish refugee, fled Kyiv that, in May managerial the only 2019, Spanish Congress positions remains around member of her family had the a third of that to survive. most female members of men with She lost her family, her home, her – 166, taking 47.4% in its history bers dropping even furtherthe num- belongings of seats. This reers as caand even made the Spanish parliament progress. she adopted a fake her name as the EU Spain's female identity and leader in gender parity. executives earn 15.1 forged papers to begin a new life, percent less than their In the Cabinet, that number male counter- firstly in Iran and then when is even parts, although higher, with women taking once this is just below the again forced to flee the major- EU average during the Isity of ministerial roles, including that according salary gap of 16 percent lamic Revolution, in England. of Deputy Prime Minister. to the latest EU data from But she never Not the top 2017. lost her job yet though. ble Ukrainian spirit and indomitaQuintanilla says: “On average, that same However, a backslide spirit is apparent in every image 2019 when the far-rightoccurred in ish women earn €5,977 less Span- of women per Vox - now than men broadcast from the Spain’s third largest and occupy more than year war-torn country political party of part-time 70% since the Rus- claimed that the gender violence en, 46% contracts. Of these wom- sian invasion - whether reporting law favours women and should be re- because affirm they are part-time from the frontline, sheltering placed with a family violence they care for dependents in bunkers spite this being controversial,law. De- cannot afford childcare services.” or to safety or trekking miles to get across borders. some Does Spain have a high femicide rate? March 8 is a day to celebrate The Spanish government site for do- grandmothers, our mothers, our mestic violence (DV) our sisters and provides annual statistics equality fellow and our daughters, our Sarah Cowley womankind and to femicide. At the end of about and together The new Deputy Head of come 2021, Spain in solidarity and peace Mission at the British Embassy became the first European in Madrid is a pioneer as country in the hope of creating a better to start recording all femicides, the first ever UK ambassador world. in cases where the aggressor even portantAnd this year it is more imto take maternity leave than ever. didn’t know the victim. Last year, 44 women Her message on International Women’s Day is one that and nine of the male were killed to all aspects of life and perpetrators transfers career. had previously “There is a responsibility been denounced for for those of us who have domestic violence (DV). do something to showcase been the first to that to others, so they can pares to 47 in 2020 and This comdone and how it can be see it can be Harking back a decade,55 in 2019. “Women shout not hide done. their achievements and 73 deaths of women at Spain had est about them. They may or be overly modthe hands of male partners or ex-partners but to other people they not seem like big achievements to you in 2003 and 72 in 2004, so You could be a role modelcould be really inspirational. rates have at and blaze a trail for what least decreased. others can do.” Spain’s come a long way tle for equality isn’t over but the batyet.
LTHOUGH Spain treats men and women equally by law, and the government worked hard to educate has the entire population about many women still report equality, sexist behaviour and ‘machista’ attitudes. rights. Some of the most outmoded atti- Feminists made tudes hark back to the rapid progress after Franco era of the dictator’s National Catholicism when, death and as Spain in 1939, developed the dictator removed as a democracy, women’s any powers rights started women had gained. to match those of other forced to be mothersFemales were European countries. wives, with no legal right and house- The husband’s permission rule was property, or get divorced.to work, own abolished in 1975, the adultery law go to prison for adultery,They could went in 1978, and divorce was legalstraying husbands weren’t although ised in 1981. punished. In 1987, A 1953 guide showed women how agreed the Spanish Supreme Court to be a good wife, including that a ensur- to prove they rape victim didn’t have ing that the house was had fought the children tidy, and dinner spotless, the In 2004, the government man back introduced Women were told not on the table. what is known as the “Integrated husband with “trivial” to bother their Law”, which funded the Government a patriarchal society, chatter. It was Delegation of Violence Against with women en. And, Womtreated as chattels. in 2017, a State Pact was formed against gender Progress has been made Carmen Quintanilla, viceviolence. Ever since Franco died president of in 1975, wom- AFAMMER, en’s groups and female which works for women have worked to rid the politicians in rural areas explained: “Spain is a ‘machista’ culture and country of a pioneer and benchmark country in secure equal terms of laws that ensure equality,
Spain has some of Europe’s most progressive gender government-funded education laws campaigns discouraging and violence. But is it working? Jo Chipchase takes a look. domestic
Blazing a trail
UKRAINE CRISIS SPECIAL
A special four-page pullout www.theolivepress.es
PEOPLE POWER: Protests have been held across Spain in anger at the Russian invasion
LAS FALLAS: Solidarity
Five-star help A FIVE-point plan has been launched by the Valencian government to help Ukrainian refugees. Regional president Ximo Puig wants to turn the Valencian Community into a ‘humanitarian corridor because we are a hospitable society committed to the values of freedom’. The plan includes €300,000 of medical supplies which were flown out of the Torrejon de Ardoz airbase, alongside €2 million worth from the Ministry of Cooperation's emergency fund. Meanwhile a '112 Ukraine' service is being set up to offer help and information to refugees who come to the Valencian Community which has over 30,000 Ukrainian residents. The Ministry of Health is allocating over 2,000 beds in regional hospitals, while a provisional SIP Health card allows immediate state health service access for refugees.
Cruel irony Ukrainian expat terrified her Kyiv-based daughter could be killed by her ex-husband, a Russian soldier UKRAINIAN Halyna Surkova (pictured right), 53, has poured her heart out to the Olive Press about the shocking irony of her daughter who is currently trapped in the besieged city, while her father is attacking it. The translator fears her daughter, 31, and her grandson, 3, could be killed while cowering in a basement as Putin’s forces surround the city. “I am suffering a lot of distress, I had to visit the doctor because this situation is heavily impacting my mental health,” revealed the former Kyiv resident. “It is terrible to think that my ex-husband is among the forces that could kill his own
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daughter.” She added he was a senior and ‘very experienced’ soldier, who had killed ‘many times’ before. However she didn’t want to give more information for reasons of her family’s security and safety. She has only managed to have intermittent contact with her family back home since the invasion began two weeks ago. “Many of my family, especially the children, are very afraid. They are living in basements and fear for their lives,” she explained. Describing the close relationship between the Russian and Ukrainian communities in Spain, she insists she doesn’t blame Russians individually. “I have a very good rela-
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tionship with some Russians here,” she said. “The majority of them disagree with Putin, but they are scared to share their views.” According to the Spanish Institute of Statistics (INE), 112,000 Ukrainians live in Spain, 56% of whom are based in Madrid, Valencia and Andalucia. Some 79,485 Russians are officially registered as residents. Despite all the damage the war is causing Ukraine, she is trying to stay positive about the future. “If Ukraine joins the EU, it will grow economically because Ukrainians are very hard-workers,” she insisted. Opinion Page 3 See Ukraine Special, pages 2 & 3
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NEWS IN BRIEF Impact on Spain SPAIN’S Prime Minister warned that the Russian invasion would impact Spain’s economy and cause an increase in energy bills. “The result will be an economic slowdown and less investment at a key moment for Europe as we consolidate the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis,” said Pedro Sanchez.
Right track REFUGEES fleeing from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been offered free rail transport throughout Spain.
Sp-oils of War THE Spanish government has given two million barrels of its oil reserves to the Ukrainian army.
Free calls to Kyiv EXPAT phone company Lobster has waived charges on any calls and texts made to Ukraine. The company said it was the right thing to do ‘during these difficult times’.
UKRAINE CRISIS March 10th - March 23rd 2022
RUN AGROUND
Will Spain seize superyachts and luxury villas owned by Russian oligarchs under sanction rules? AT least four superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs are currently moored in Spain and could be seized by authorities under sanctions threatened by the EU in retaliation for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Three palatial yachts currently being serviced in Barcelona ports and at least one in Mallorca could be targeted under sanctions against some of Russia’s wealthiest men. Among them is mineral tycoon
By Fiona Govan
and Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich who could see his 139-metre Solaris seized. The vessel, dubbed the ‘most expensive custom-made yacht’ with an eye-popping price tag of €600million, is currently undergoing a refit in Barcelona’s MB92 shipyard.
A UKRAINIAN sailor has been arrested for attempting to sink a €7million superyacht owned by a Russian arms dealer moored in Mallorca. The 47-meter Lady Anastasia belongs to Alexander Mijeev, a close associate of Vladimir Putin and head of one of the largest Russian weapons production companies. The five berth ship had been anchored in Port Adriano, near Palma, when it nearly sank. "My boss is a criminal who sells weapons that kill the Ukrainian people," explained the 55-year-old identified by police as D.Taras O. The 55-year-old who worked on the yacht as a mechanic surrendered to police after his ‘act of sabotage’ explaining he had been moved to carry it out after watching footage of Kyiv being bombed on the news. “I watched the news about the war and there was a video of a helicopter attack on
Other vessels known to be owned by associates of Putin have recently left Spanish ports
Direct action a building in Kyiv. The armaments used are produced by the owner's company. They were attacking innocents,” he told a court. A few hours later he decided to "take revenge on the owner by causing only material damage, not personal damage". He explained how he opened valves to allow the boat to take on water and told the crew, most of whom were also Ukrainian, to abandon the vessel. The yacht was only partially submerged and is salvageable, according to local reports. The Ukrainian added that he planned to return home to Kyiv to defend his homeland against the Russian invasion. “Today was my first battle,” he said when leaving the court.
to head out to international waters as the conflict in the Ukraine intensified. Meanwhile a superyacht believed to be owned by Putin himself sailed out of a German shipyard to a Russian port just days before the invasion.
Assets
Dozens of other pleasure craft belonging to wealthy Russians are moored in ports across Spain and its islands. Although not on the scale of the mega-yachts they could still be among the assets seized if their owners appear on the black list. Some of the most expensive real estate along Spain’s costas is also owned by Russians linked to the Putin regime as well as a villa in upmarket La Zagaleta rumoured to belong to Putin himself, and could be seized by authorities under sanctions.
6,000 refugees to arrive this week
SPAIN is set to welcome more than 6,000 refugees who have fled Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion. Authorities said they were setting up three large processing centres to speed up the intake of refugees when they arrive this week. The government is planning for the arrival of a ‘significant volume of refugees’ who will go through centres in Madrid, Barcelona and Alicante. The Spanish authorities are working to provide transport ‘for all those who want to come’ in collaboration with the consular services of Romania, Poland, Hungary and Moldova. Spain is also talking with the Ukrainian authorities to organise transport for children, some of whom are unaccompanied. Over 1.7 million refugees are estimated to have fled the Ukraine so far, according to the UN. The bulk of these have crossed into neighbouring countries with around a million already arriving into Poland.
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A GROUP of expat Ukrainians have quit their jobs in Murcia to join the resistance against Putin’s invading forces. Sergio Curas is among thousands of Ukrainians abandoning their safe lives in Spain to fight for their homeland. Curas, a builder, and two friends left Murcia with news of the invasion on February 24 and are already in Kyiv getting trained in the basics of resistance fighting. “We used to be normal citizens, and we left our job to join the war,” he said. “We are going to get weapons and we are going to wait for them,” he said of
OPINION
Not bricking it the Russian soldiers who are currently marching towards the capital. “I feel very proud of the Ukrainians who are resisting the aggressiveness of Russia,” he said. “If we don't help them, who is going to help?” He has joined up alongside many ex-servicemen from other European countries, who feel moved to travel to the embattled country. In echoes of the International Brigades, who fought for the government during the Spanish Civil War, Ukraine
NO PASARAN has set up the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine and called on foreign volunteers to help. “I invite you to contact foreign missions in your respective countries. Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin, too,” said Dmytro Kuleba, minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine.
Russiaphobia On the road! FOUR vans from the Alicante Province fire service began the long journey on Tuesday to take emergency supplies to Ukrainian refugees at the Poland-Ukraine border. Nine firefighters have volunteered to make the trip and plan to bring refugees back to Spain with them. The convoy has been loaded up with medicine, food, clothes, toys, and basic necessities provided by the Ukrainian Association of Torrevieja. All fuel and toll costs have been paid for by the Alicante Provincial Council. The journey is around 3,000 kilometres. Alicante Provincial Council’s emergencies spokesman, Javier Sendra, said: “Now more than ever we must help the thousands and thousands of civilians who are fleeing their country every day or those remaining who are suffering all kinds of low supplies.” Sendra also thanked the firefighters for their ‘solidarity’ in the face of ‘this terrible invasion’. The regional authority has approved €2 million of emergency funding to help the Ukrainian people and refugees expected to arrive in Alicante.
LIBERTYCASHBACK
Russians in Spain struggle as sanctions bite over Ukraine invasion
RUSSIANS in Spain are facing a backlash after the invasion of Ukraine, with reports of assaults and blackmail. And as banking sanctions start to bite, many find themselves with no cash and credit cards blocked with no way of buying food and essentials. While many long-time residents of Spain have local bank accounts, others have relied on their Russian accounts and credit cards,
PEACE: Russians march against war which are now frozen. Alexander Chepulrnoy, president of the Russian associa-
‘We’re not Putin’ “I regret what has happened to Russians like me here in Spain, though our problems are nothing compared to what is happening to the people of Ukraine,” Igor Bagaev, 56, told the Olive Press. He has no idea if he will be able to go back to his homeland, as he has been openly critical of the Kremlin. “I have no plan. We are all hostages to Putin. Most of all the Ukrainian people,” said the music and cultural promoter who moved to Estepona six years ago. For all the talk of sanctions on Russian oligarchs, there has been little consideration of the effects on those Russians who sought to escape Putin’s influence. “I wanted to move my family to a free society. I never voted for Putin.” he said. “Since the invasion my wife cries several times a day and I am scared for my children. My little boy had his first day of school today, but I can’t help but feel worried about his future. Normal Russians are not the enemy and I am not an oligarch.
Until APRIL 25th 2022
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March 10th - March 23rd 2022
We are having a bad time, we are losing friends, people are feeling very low at the moment.
tion in Alicante, told the Olive Press: “Someone called me two hours ago, saying that his bank accounts had been blocked. I told them that they should go to the bank to see if they can solve it.” He believes that if the bank accounts of Russians based in Spain continue to be blocked, they will not be able to pay their bills - which means sanctions against Russians will have a knock on effect on Spanish companies.
Blackmail
Chepulrnoy, added that Russians based in Spain are suffering from ‘Russiaphobia’ “I know of two cases of Russians being assaulted and also of blackmail”. He said that this situation is impacting the Russian community emotionally. “We are having a bad time, we are losing friends, people are feeling very low at the moment.”
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WATCHING Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsey shot at and wounded along with one of his team, while clearly working for the press in Ukraine, was harrowing in the extreme. That his team was targeted by Russian soldiers while attempting to report on the conflict should however, not be a surprise. The world may have changed in the fortnight since our last edition, but what has not is the tyrant Putin’s hatred and disdain for journalists. Russia has, after all, been one of the most dangerous countries to be a reporter over the last two decades. Over 20 journalists have been slain in the country since Putin came to power, while most opposition leaders have also been imprisoned. The dictator simply does not want his dirty laundry aired or anyone questioning him. What ALSO hasn’t changed is the strength and generosity of the expat community in Spain. Faced with the third giant crisis of the century, we have quickly rallied around our fellow Ukrainian expats, who number around 112,000 in Spain, mostly on the coast. With an outpouring of compassion and generosity, the great Community of the Costas has jumped to help. Showing their true colours, they have collected, donated and organised themselves to help in any way possible. Alongside the Spanish (and some Russians, it should be pointed out) we have donated in our tens of thousands, with many offering their homes to refugees - and even driving there to pick them up. Some have even upped sticks to go and fight. And that should be no surprise - particularly for all of us schooled in the history of Spain and its infamous, tragic civil war. Just as tens of thousands of foreigners joined to fight for the Spanish Republic in the 1930s - collectively known as the International Brigades - Ukraine has set up its own International battalion and is now recruiting. Take note Russia: Madrid was completely surrounded, but under the passionate rallying cry of ‘No Pasaran’ (or They Shall Not Pass) it was NEVER taken during the savage three-year war. Joining to fight for the democratically elected Spanish Republic in 1936 was described as the ‘last great cause’. With Kyiv now nearly surrounded, this must be the first great cause of the 21st century. For Putin is now definitively an evil pariah not scared to kill innocent civilians and journalists doing their jobs. Said to be the world’s richest man, which is hard to prove due his lack of transparency, he certainly has the full trappings of wealth, befitting of the most corrupt leaders. This includes a mansion on the Côte d’Azur and, closer to home, a giant mansion near Marbella with a helipad, 24-hour security and three underground floors. As first revealed by this paper over a decade ago, completely denied by Moscow’s official press agency, which derided us as a ‘tiny and biased’ newspaper called ‘the Olive Tree’. We have always stood by the story with impeccable sources and knowing he was obviously not going to be buying it in his own name and would, of course, deny it. But it’s the giant complex that Putin’s been building on the Black Sea for the last decade that will ultimately spell his downfall. In fact it almost guarantees it. For the massive estate displays the very same megalomania displayed by the former Communist dictator of neighbouring Romania. And it was appropriately from his gross, outsized 7000room, 13-floor Bucharest Palace that tyrant Ceaucescu was summarily dragged out of by an angry mob and later hung in 1989. Dear Vlad: it’s coming!
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NEWS IN BRIEF Torre restoration BENIDORM council is trying to put together €200,000 to restore and open the 16th century Torre de Morals to the public. The authority approved work back in 2019 on the historic landmark structure on Avenida de Villajoyosa, but will now look for grants to take the project forward.
A FERAL cat colony has been attacked with rat poison placed into feeding containers. Up to 100 cats are said to be missing or have died in the Cala de Almadraba colony in Benidorm. A complaint has been filed to the Policia Local after last Thursday's shocking discovery
On track
Vain British drug smuggler finally jailed after retrial
DIRECT services between Denia and Alicante are expected to return before the end of the year, but passengers will need to change in Benidorm and Teulada. It’s a temporary bonus fix while new bridge building and restoration work is done at Benissa, l’Algar, and Mascarat ahead of completion sometime in 2023.
NOTORIOUS British drug trafficker, Brian Charrington, dubbed the ‘Wikipedia Narco’ for updating his own profile on the site, has finally been found guilty and jailed for almost 11 years. It’s the second time the gangster has been tried for smuggling cocaine into an Alicante marina in 2013. The drug lord's original 2018 trial and conviction was quashed by the Supreme Court over impartiality issues, with a
Cruel fights THREE men were caught running illegal cock fights in Alicante with 50 people attending the event in a field. The crowd dispersed as police arrived and seized three roosters. one of whom died later due to serious injuries.
DIRTY RAT
by the colony supervisor from La Voz Animal. “We have made a plea to make all feral cat colonies legal,” said a spokesman for the animal charity.. “Enough of killing them, mis-
March 10th - March 23rd 2022 treating them and seeing them as garbage.” The PACMA Animal Rights Party has also demanded urgent action. It claims police officers only visited the site after receiving 'several calls' and then told volunteers to 'throw away the bodies'.
WIKIPEDIA NARCO By Alex Trelinski
fresh hearing held last autumn. Charrington and his son Ray were originally convicted, along with three others, of smuggling 192 kilos of cocaine from South America to Altea on a yacht nine years ago. In 2013, police raided several 'luxury' properties owned by Charrington in the Calpe area as he was arrested with 'up-market cars' seized.
He received a 15-year-jail sentence in his first trial which has now been reduced to 10 years and nine months. His son Ray and another defendant were acquitted but two others were found guilty, including an associate named as Aleksei P. Both were ordered to pay a €15.3 million fine. Charrington's long history of brushes with the law included a customs raid at his UK home in 1992 that unearthed millions of pounds in alleged drugs money. He escaped criminal charges when it was revealed he was a police informant. In 2002, a Leeds trial collapsed when Charrington and two Middlesbrough police officers faced public office conspiracy
RECKONING: Brian Charrington brought to justice at last charges. The case fell apart when the judge ruled against illegally-obtained phone taps. In July 2003, a German court jailed him for seven years after convicting him of drug smuggling, and he also spent two years behind bars in France.
Wrong way A BRITISH woman drove on the wrong side of the AP-7 motorway in Altea after drinking and taking drugs. The Guardia Civil arrested the 44-year-old after a driver phoned emergency services to report a car that was hurtling towards oncoming traffic. After officers intercepted the errant motorist, they immediately noticed that she appeared to be drunk. A roadside test showed that she was three-times over the alcohol limit. An additional test was positive for cocaine in her bloodstream. A German woman, 75, was arrested for driving on the wrong side along a 35km stretch of the AP-7 in the same area in January.
Covid con
SCAMMERS posing as Valencian government employees have been phoning elderly residents in Petrer to make appointments to disinfect their mattresses. They claim to be part of a non-existent 'free-of-charge' initiative to treat mattresses against Covid-19. Petrer Policia Local says the conmen picked up information via the calls about potential robbery targets. That included the age of a property owner and whether they lived on their own. They then arranged a visit for a potential distraction burglary.
NEWS
March 10th March 23rd 2022
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Boys star in bar brawl Antony Starr arrested while on location filming with Jake Gyllenhaal in Guy Ritchie movie HE apparently went from soldier to rogue in a matter of minutes. New Zealand actor Antony Starr has been arrested after a vicious late night bar brawl on the Costa Blanca. The Boys star, 46, currently filming a war movie in Spain, allegedly glassed a fellow drinker after a fight broke out in Alicante city at 2am. According to the man he at-
tacked, Venezuelan Bathuel Araujo, 21, he was ‘very drunk’ and ‘bumping and pushing’ others in the bar. This led to an argument during which Starr allegedly hit him with a glass which left him needing four stitches above his eye. They got into another fight outside the bar moments later and police confirmed that Starr had been detained.
Starr, famous for roles in Amazon’s hit series The Boys and Homelander, is on location filming an action movie by British director Guy Ritchie. Ritchie’s new He allegedly grabbed some ropes project is an as used to hoist a clothesline and yet unnamed threatened to hang her. war film based She rushed out onto the balcony in Afghanistan and picked up a gardening pitchand stars Oscar fork which she planned to use to nominee Jake defend herself. Gyllenhaal. The irate husband slammed the Locations balcony door shut and locked it. around AlicanHe confessed to his actions and the te are said to matter is being handled by the Vadouble for Aflencian courts. ghanistan.
Enraged reaction A VALENCIA man, 74, threatened to hang his wife after she refused to let him have the keys to their car. The couple have reportedly lived together for over 50 years. Neighbours called emergency services on Sunday afternoon after seeing the man in a very aggressive state in the Exposicio area of Valencia City. His wife, 73, had been locked out on the balcony.
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THE MYSTERY OF MARIA! Despite changing her appearance and name to ‘Maria’, Britain’s Most Wanted woman Sarah Panitzke has been snared after eight years in hiding. But what made the public school educated Masters graduate do it?
S
HE was long Britain’s most wanted woman for her part in a £1 billion (€1.2 billion) VAT scam. Somehow escaping the reach of British and Spanish police for eight long years, she changed her appearance and disappeared deep into the Catalan outback. But finally the long arm of the law has caught up with Sarah Gina Panitzke, 47, after she was arrested while walking her dogs near the town of Santa Barbara, in Tarragona province. As unlikely as it was surprising, she was filmed by the Guardia Civil being detained in a park in the town looking like a harmless middle-aged Spanish housewife. Incredibly she had been living in Catalunya for two decades and even after police had tracked her down to the Barcelona satellite town of Olivella, in 2015, when they followed her husband who took her regular supplies. But somehow she was able to escape, before changing her appearance and moving to Santa Barbara. It is understood she completely cut off from her Spanish husband and family back in the UK, who s h e p r ev i -
ously communicated with via Facebook, and moved into an anonymous apartment, above an English academy in the town. While the former owner of the now-closed Enjoy English language school insists she did not work there, neighbours told the Olive Press this week she was ‘mysterious’ and didn’t communicate much. She did however change her name, we can reveal, to Maria and ‘could have been masquerading’ as a Spaniard, thanks to her excellent grasp of the language picked up during her time studying at university in Barcelona and a Spanish degree in the UK. “All I know is she was known in the town as Maria,” the mayor of Santa Barbara, Antonio Olles, told the Olive Press. “I really can’t tell you much more.” An enigma she certainly was. Public school educated, she got ten GCSEs and three A-levels at York College for Girls, before taking Spanish at Manchester University and then a Masters in Business Management at Pompeu Fabra University, in Barcelona. She made dozens of contacts and good friends around the autonomous region, as well as a network of expats in Spain.
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Carretera Nacional 340, km 144.5, Calle Espinosa 1, Edificio cc El Duque, planta primera, 29692, Sabinillas, Manilva Deposito Legal MA 1351-2020
By Alex Trelinski, Jorge Hinojosa & Elena Goçmen Rueda
She initially worked as an English teacher before running businesses, including one, the Universal Transolution group SL, that ‘produced electronic components for all types of devices’. According to her Linkedin page, she even ended up landing the plum job as the manager at the ON THE RUN: The UK’s most wanted poster four star Hotel Subur Maritim, in upmarket Sitges, from 1998 to 2000. Quite an achievement. But inexplicably she found herself recruited into notorious tax criminal Geoffrey Johnson’s web of 18 fraudsters in Britain via an acquaintance. She opened a company called Investerest and became part of a shady network of companies that bought cheap mobile phones in overseas countries without VAT, then sold them in the UK for a big profit. Panitzke ended up travelling to places like Dubai and Andorra to ‘clean’ the money the gang had stolen. Originally from York, Panitzke disappeared in May 2013 before being convicted and sentenced in absentia to eight years behind bars. She was the last of the gang to be caught, with other members ARREST: In the town of collectively sentenced to 135 Santa Barbara and (right) years in jail at Kingston Crown a young Sarah Panitzke at Court, in 2013. €20,000-a-year private school Investigators were tasked with locating her and found plenty of to be sent back to face justice leads in Spain. over the next few weeks. Under Operation Vaulter, UK One friend, who she met while holidaymakers were asked to on a TEFL teacher training help catch the ‘Most Wanted course in Barcelona described woman’ with various appeals her arrest as a ‘total shock’. going out from 2016 on the Teacher Loretta Louise Lacour, National Crime Agency’s Most 54, who now lives in LanzaWanted list. rote, told the Olive Press she She was said to have ‘disap- ‘seemed completely straight’ peared into thin air’ and in 2019 and believed ‘she must have police revealed that she was re- been influenced by someone’. sponsible for laundering approx- As to who, she can’t say, but she normal too, but I wonder if he imately one billion pounds. did meet her boyfriend - a Cata- perhaps ended up influencing It was a shockingly large sum lan called ‘Joan’ - on a couple of her?” and she must occasions. The Olive Press has discovered have known the “When I met her that the boss of the companet was closing in Barcelona ny, the Universal Transolution She seemed in on her. we just clicked group, where Sarah was an ‘adso straight, I While she apstraightaway… ministrator’ was a man called peared to live She was very Joan Ribas Carceller. wonder if her a humble life friendly and we According to official Spanish when arrested husband Joan got on very well. company house records the a week ago, she “I didn’t know company had another director did certainly own influenced her? anything about with the name ‘Juan Ribas Carat least one oth[this crime side], celler’ also on the deeds. er property in I was totally A former employee of the comSpain, on the Costa Blanca in shocked when I found out. She pany, Josep Maria de Cara Tora, Villajoyosa, we have discovered. seemed completely straight and confirmed that Joan worked She was a regular visitor there, it is not the Sarah that I met.” there but didn’t wish to comaccording to one ex-boyfriend, She added she had visited ment further. But before slamBritish expat James Brooks, her upmarket home in a gated ming down the phone, he conwho went on holiday at her community in the seaside town firmed that the company was home in Villajoyosa, near where of Vilanova i la Geltru, south of owned by Sarah’s husband. he now lives. Sitges. We were unable to track down What’s certain is that she must “She lived in a very nice house, Ribas Carceller - who also has have had control of a lot of mon- in a secure private area, then links to Investerest and many ey as she is also now facing an- one day she disconnected all other companies - before going other nine years added to her of her numbers and I lost touch to press. sentence due to the non-pay- with her.” Either way, the arrest came as ment of a £3 million confisca- She continued: “I met with her a huge coup for the British aution order. boyfriend Joan at their house thorities. While currently fighting extradi- for dinner once. I only met him a Tom Dowdall of the UK’s Nationtion in Madrid, she is expected couple of times and he seemed al Crime Agency said: “Sarah
Panitzke has been on the run for almost nine years. Given the length of time she might have thought we had stopped searching, but she remained on our radar. “Joint working between UK law enforcement and our partners in Spain led to her being apprehended. This should serve as a warning to others on our most wanted list – we will not rest until you are captured, no matter how long it takes.” A spokesman for Spain’s Guardia Civil meanwhile revealed that they had been keeping a close watch on her friends and family for the last few years, but she had apparently ‘broken off all physical contact’. “Finally, we found a woman closely matching the suspect’s physical description who lived in a block of flats on the outskirts of the town of Santa Barbara. “Mindful of what had happened in 2015, a large team of plainclothes officers was deployed and she was arrested while out walking her pets.”
International
Women’sDay
A special four-page pullout www.theolivepress.es
March 2022
END THE VIOLENCE A WOMEN TAKE TO THE STREETS: Marches are held across Spain for a cause not yet won
LTHOUGH Spain treats men and women equally by law, and the government has worked hard to educate the entire population about equality, many women still report sexist behaviour and ‘machista’ attitudes. Some of the most outmoded attitudes hark back to the Franco era of National Catholicism when, in 1939, the dictator removed any powers women had gained. Females were forced to be mothers and housewives, with no legal right to work, own property, or get divorced. They could go to prison for adultery, although straying husbands weren’t punished. A 1953 guide showed women how to be a good wife, including ensuring that the house was spotless, the children tidy, and dinner on the table. Women were told not to bother their husband with “trivial” chatter. It was a patriarchal society, with women treated as chattels. Progress has been made Ever since Franco died in 1975, women’s groups and female politicians have worked to rid the country of a
Spain has some of Europe’s most progressive gender laws and government-funded education campaigns discouraging domestic violence. But is it working? Jo Chipchase takes a look. ‘machista’ culture and secure equal rights. Feminists made rapid progress after the dictator’s death and as Spain developed as a democracy, women’s rights started to match those of other European countries. The husband’s permission rule was abolished in 1975, the adultery law went in 1978, and divorce was legalised in 1981. In 1987, the Spanish Supreme Court agreed that a rape victim didn’t have to prove they had fought the man back In 2004, the government introduced what is known as the “Integrated Law”, which funded the Government Delegation of Violence Against Women. And, in 2017, a State Pact was formed against gender violence. Carmen Quintanilla, vice president of AFAMMER, which works for women in rural areas explained: “Spain is a pioneer and benchmark country in
Blazing a trail
terms of laws that ensure equality, compared to other countries in Europe and worldwide. Until the elaboration of the 2017 State Pact, never before had a government been so committed to the eradication of gender violence.” Quintanilla points out that, in May 2019, Spanish Congress had the most female members in its history – 166, taking 47.4% of seats. This made the Spanish parliament the EU leader in gender parity. In the Cabinet, that number is even higher, with women taking the majority of ministerial roles, including that of Deputy Prime Minister. Not the top job yet though. However, a backslide occurred in 2019 when the far-right Vox - now Spain’s third largest political party - claimed that the gender violence law favours women and should be replaced with a family violence law. De-
Sarah Cowley The new Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Madrid is a pioneer as the first ever UK ambassador to take maternity leave Her message on International Women’s Day is one that transfers to all aspects of life and career. “There is a responsibility for those of us who have been the first to do something to showcase that to others, so they can see it can be done and how it can be done. “Women shout not hide their achievements and or be overly modest about them. They may not seem like big achievements to you but to other people they could be really inspirational. You could be a role model and blaze a trail for what others can do.”
spite this being controversial, some voters clearly approved. Vox also has made some questionable statements about women’s working roles. And when it comes to the workplace itself, the proportion of women in managerial positions remains around a third of that of men with the numbers dropping even further as careers progress. Spain's female executives earn 15.1 percent less than their male counterparts, although this is just below the EU average salary gap of 16 percent according to the latest EU data from 2017. Quintanilla says: “On average, Spanish women earn €5,977 less per year than men and occupy more than 70% of part-time contracts. Of these women, 46% affirm they are part-time because they care for dependents or cannot afford childcare services.” The Spanish government site for domestic violence (DV) and equality provides annual statistics about and femicide. At the end of 2021, Spain became the first European country to start recording all femicides, even in cases where the aggressor didn’t know the victim. Last year, 44 women were killed and nine of the male perpetrators had previously been denounced for domestic violence (DV). This compares to 47 in 2020 and 55 in 2019. Harking back a decade, Spain had 73 deaths of women at the hands of male partners or ex-partners in 2003 and 72 in 2004, so rates have at least decreased. Spain’s come a long way but the battle for equality isn’t over yet.
Fiona Govan Digital News Editor International Women’s Day – celebrated annually on March 8 – is a day that commemorates the social, political and economic achievements of women. This year is particularly poignant as we watch our sister Ukrainians suffer the brutal reality of war, making our own perceived struggles for equality in our generally safe environments pale in comparison. Eighty years ago, almost to the month, as the Second World War raged, my grandmother fled Kyiv as a Jewish refugee, the only member of her family to survive. She lost her family, her home, her belongings and even her name as she adopted a fake identity and forged papers to begin a new life, firstly in Iran and then when once again forced to flee during the Islamic Revolution, in England. But she never lost her indomitable Ukrainian spirit and that same spirit is apparent in every image of women broadcast from the war-torn country since the Russian invasion - whether reporting from the frontline, sheltering in bunkers or trekking miles to get to safety across borders. March 8 is a day to celebrate our grandmothers, our mothers, our sisters and our daughters, our fellow womankind and to come together in solidarity and peace in the hope of creating a better world. And this year it is more important than ever.
International
2
March 2022
Taking on the bitcoin bros
N
FT art typifies the modern age. It is techy, in high demand, and confusing to a large proportion of the population. Bought via cryptocurrency, the art is rendered using blockchain, which creates a unique stamp of the artwork, making each piece completely unique. The underworld of cryptocurrency and NFTs is male-dominated and has given rise to a dubious stereotype: the bitcoin-bro. But artist Gala Mirissa is taking on the big boys, one of the few female artists to ride the crest of the NFT wave. Her art features in forthcoming Hollywood film ‘Fresh Kills’ directed by actress Jennifer Esposito and she was named by BeInCrypto on International Women’s Day 2021 as one of the three most influential hispanic women in the cryptocurrency industry.
Recognition
She also recently designed a world first NFT cover for ELLE magazine. Speaking exclusively to the Olive Press, Mirissa says: “It wasn’t difficult to start making NFT art, but I found it much harder to get recognition as a woman. My social media following was increasing rapidly, but I wasn’t given the same opportunities and projects that I wanted to be a part of always ended up in male hands. In addition, most collectors are men who buy from men, and if they do make an offer to a woman it will be much cheaper.” “I think that when a man does something related to new technologies it is considered a profession, but when a woman does it it seems to be more like a hobby, something she does simply because she likes it and wants to try it. But actually, lots of women are into cryptoart and new technologies.” She hopes her success will inspire other women: “Many women who are starting out making NFT art write to me and ask me for a lot of advice, which I am happy to give. I hope my success can start to make the industry more female friendly”
WORLD FIRST: Palvin’s NFT cover for ELLE magazine
Women’sDay
GOING GREAT
T
HIS year’s International Women’s Day is dedicated to recognising women’s achievements no matter how small. So it’s the perfect opportunity for the Olive Press to showcase women from the expat community in Spain who are doing great things. One of the biggest advocates for women in Spain has to be Ali Meehan. Ali set up what is one of the biggest women’s networking groups in Spain – Costa Women – more than 10 years ago. There are now 12,500 members and Ali and her Costa Women team have more than 20 events every single month. It is not all about business. As well as offering training and online business networking events, Costa Women offers discussion forums on important subjects like menopause, a book club, and the opportunity for women to get together socially all over Spain. Ali says she is immensely proud of how Costa Women has grown. Since January alone she has welcomed 275 new women to the group and launched a brandnew website and member app.
Women are often too modest to blow their own trumpets, so we sent Helen Barklam to speak to five inspirational women and do it for them
PROUD: (From left to right) Mari Miota Villalba, Sam Bayley, Helen Johnson, Debbi Skyrme and Ali Meehan
at Andalucia Lab in Marbella and she is crazy time. soon launching a new show ExpatRadio. “Paulina is now five and about 18 Mari Miota Villalba was born and raised months ago I decided it was time to in Alcala de Henares, Madrid. She get back to work. I secured a role as an moved to London and worked her way independent real estate agent for the up the ladder in Transport for London, biggest franchise in the world, Remax. becoming a very successBefore finishing my first ful senior reliability analyst year, I was named the “It has been a privilege and an honour with all the perks, and all best agent of the month If women to create Costa Women as a space for in her second language. out of 50 agents and believe in women to connect socially and share When Mari became pregreceived a huge promotheir businesses. We tend to forget that nant with her daughter, tion. I couldn’t believe it. as foreigners we have achieved much everything changed. Mari themselves they “I don’t think there is by first making the move to another and her husband Liam just one big achievecan achieve country. Then we create businesses in decided to move back to ment to celebrate. Movanything a language not our own, deal with bu- Spain to raise Paulina on ing to London, speaking reaucracy, and market our products and the coast. hardly any English and services in a different way, or on differ- “It was a scary prospect making a huge success ent platforms to those we are used to,” to pack up our lives and move back to in my time at Transport for London was she said. Spain, and a part that I did not know incredible. But then moving to a new It doesn’t stop there. Ali has just updat- well here on the Costa del Sol. Not only part of Spain and juggling both worked the Costa Women business directory had I left my home, I left an amazing job ing and being a mum has been a big and plans are in place for the organisa- to go to a strange place where I had no challenge. Everything has been worth tion’s annual conference on the May 12 friends and a new baby in tow. It was a it to be able to spend time with Paulina and be a good example and role model for her. “If women believe in themselves, even at the worst times, with perseverance, persistence, hard work, and empathy and kindness towards others, they can achieve everything they are determined to do,” she added. Bilingual celebrant Debbie Skyrme is a huge inspiration and BOSSY lady in a kilt with a ‘big bottom’ hardly sounds like role model for women across your typical war hero. the world. She moved to Spain But that’s exactly how Fernanda Jacobsen was described 12 years ago after she gave up by those that met her when she was sent to Madrid – the her job in the UK as a registrar beating heart of the social revolution – to help the wounded as of births, deaths and marriages. the Republican government faced off Nationalist forces in 1936. After eight years in rural Spain When military leader General Franco - backed by fellow fascists Debbie moved to the Costa Mussolini and Hitler - launched his bloody attempt to overthrow Tropical where she realised she the elected Spanish government, Fernanda was one of the first of could put her skills as a registrar almost 2400 Brits - around 550 of them Scots - to leave the safety to good use and become a wedof her home to join the fight against fascism. ding celebrant. Since then, she A ‘furious’ middle aged woman, Fernanda was working as a sechas won award after award for retary in Glasgow when she went to aid the humanitarian effort in TARTAN ARMY: Jacobsen organising food donations her work. Despues praised Fernanda and her ‘chicos’ for their humanitarthe poorest and worst hit parts of Madrid. “I have been presented with the The Scottish Ambulance Unit (SAU) was formed by her boss, the ian work in an article entitled ‘¡ESCOCIA POR ESPAÑA!’. International Wedding Award for wealthy and generous Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, Sir The unit was twice called back to Britain, in part because they three years running. Last year were mentally and physically exhausted, but also so they could Daniel Macaulay Stevenson. was one to remember. I was He believed his fiery Spanish-speaking assistant was the only per- collect food donations and old buses from Scottish companies awarded European Celebrant of son who could lead his team of medical volunteers to Spain safely that could be used to ferry the wounded to hospital. the Year. - and when the first convoy of six ambulances left Glasgow in Sep- Fernanda remained behind and appealed for contributions in Debbie has faced a challenging tember 1936, Miss Fernanda Jacobsen stood proud - a little over The Guardian, warning that the people of Madrid were ‘weakfew years since she set up her ened by malnutrition, not to say starvation, without fuel, without 5ft - as their loyal Commandant. business. coronavirus hit and Fernanda was only meant to stay in the necessaries of life, the coming of winter is to many of them all travel and foreign weddings Spain a few days, helping with trans- a sentence of death’. were cancelled. lation and sourcing contacts but soon The appeal was successful and Fernanda was able to open two “I had to reschedule 50 wedshe became indispensable and ran porridge canteens in January 1939 to provide food to the starvdings due to the pandemic ing people of Madrid. the unit for nearly three years. and I am still catching up now. Despite having no medical training Franco's military coup ultimately succeeded and the dictator deMy business has changed alot Fernanda found herself at the heart clared victory on April 1, 1939. The government-led Republicans since Covid. There is a new of the fighting in Toledo and Madrid, were crushed and one of Fernanda’s canteens was taken by the category of people getting marfeeding the starving and tending to Falangist relief organisation Auxilio Social, much to her fury. ried. Many are elopements Her work continued beyond the end of the war, and she returned the injured. with just the couple present, Spanish newspaper Politica said to Scotland in August 1939. She later received an OBE for her or micro weddings, with 10 or at the time: "The work already work in Spain. less guests. Many couples have carried out by these Scotsmen A tiny woman with a fiery temper, Fernanda was described as been diddled out of their wedwho came to Spain to mitigate ‘as indefatigable and bossy as Florence Nightingale herself’ ding elsewhere due to Covid and the sufferings of war is really and she was never seen without her kilt, military jacket and want to come out and do the big extraordinary.” Indeed, local Glengarry bonnet. dress and the photos here in people were so amazed by She later said: “My kilt costume was always my best protection, Spain. And others are coming the resilience of the Scottish a perfect ‘Salvoconducto’. There are always troubles if I am about here on holiday and want to force, they named them sent and the Macaulay kilt gets me everywhere without harm to combine it with a wedding,” she me or those accompanying me”. ‘Los Brujos’ - the wizards. explained. Another newspaper Not all heroes wear capes - some prefer tartan. During Covid, Debbie recognised what was going to happen when
Remembering Madrid’s civil war battleaxe - a nurse from Glasgow
A
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March 2022
the world opened up again. She spent renovations, all from orders taken at the lockdowns here in Spain reaching out to market. It was incredible. I was good at other multi-lingual celebrants to create drawing and scaling, so I had an idea to the Celebrants in Spain directory. draw and paint cartoon characters onto “It was important to me that any wed- pieces of wood. It came to a point when dings that needed rearranging could go we were selling 50 pieces a week on the ahead on the date the client requested. market. And on top of that, my biggest fear was “From 2008, for around four years, it getting sick, losing my voice or being was really tough. We had to rethink struck by Covid and not being able to the business to fit in with what people officiate the wedding. I couldn’t bear the wanted and could afford during this thought of my clients losing their wed- recession period. We turned to helping ding again. people to renovate existing kitchens to “As much as Covid really rocked me, it fit budgets so our clients felt like they has actually made my business stron- had a new kitchen, but we had just reger. Now, I don’t have to turn anyone freshed it. That has been the business away.” model ever since. Sam Bayley’s business, Painted Kitch- “For years I was mostly found in a mask en, began 30 years ago when she ar- in the spray room, very much in the rived in Spain as a 27 background. I came out year-old new mum… proto do any specialist deviding her husband with sign work. It worked reWe have sandwiches to take to ally well around the kids customers who and schooI. But in 2014 Fuengirola market. Now she has her own specialwas at a networking have been with Ievent ist painting business and representing Joe’s works alongside some business when I realised us from the huge global brands. that the work I was doing start “Joe, my husband, startcould be a stand-alone ed off showcasing mock business. That was when ups of kitchen and bedPainted Kitchen was room furniture that he could create and born,” took orders each week at the market. Sam is now travelling up and down the “It grew and grew to a point where we coast from Nerja all the way down to were doing full kitchen and bathroom Sotogrande and Gibraltar doing profes-
How one of Spain’s most successful expat entrepreneurs came to lead an all-female team, writes Fiona Govan
J
ENNINFER CUNNINGHAM is proud of the fact that she leads a team of twenty women in what has become one of the most successful expat businesses in Spain. “It isn’t a policy to only employ women, it just turns out that they are the ones that have thrived,” she explains. “Applications are open to everyone and we have employed men and I try to keep a balance in the teams, but it’s the women that seem to be most successful in this business and the ones that stay on for years and years, while the men just don’t seem to keep up.” She is talking about her business empire comprising seven offices across the Costa Blanca and one in Lanzarote offering private insurance designed especially for members of the expat community. Cunningham, a long-term resident of Javea, learnt early on that to get ahead as a woman in a male-dominated business sphere in Spain, she had to be fearlessly determined, a quality she has in spades thanks to her time in the Royal Air Force. “Being in the RAF was one of the happiest times in my life and where I had discipline instilled in me,” she recalls. “As a result
sional spraying and hand painting. “I think my greatest achievement has been to realise that I am quite good at what I do and luxury brands like Clive Christian Homes want to work with me. I am really proud of how a nugget of an idea on Fuengirola market has turned into what it has,” she added Helen Johnson has taken her business from a phone box in Mijas to a business with clients from Almeria to the Portuguese in the 36 years she has been on the coast. Her and her husband run Envirocare Spain, which is an air conditioning and pool heating business and Masterbuild Spain – a kitchens and bathrooms renovation company. Helen said: “A magazine came through our door in the UK and on the front of it was an apartment in La Cala Golf covered in beautiful purple bougainvillea. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I am not quite sure how it all happened, but we rented out our house, packed up our car and drove down to southern Spain. “We had no money. We used the rent from our house to pay the rent on the apartment, but there wasn’t much left. I got a job in a telesales call centre selling air conditioning. They didn’t pay me the first week. No money the second week. By the end of the month there was still no money. I left and took my leads with me. “My husband and I went down to the local phone box as there were no internal phones and couldn’t believe it when the first lead we called bought an air conditioning unit. My husband was an engineer, so he could fit it. The deposit just about paid for the unit. And that was the start of our business. “We have customers who have been with us from the very start. I think our biggest achievements are to create what we did back when we arrived and create a life for us and our family out here. “Stuff doesn’t just happen. You have to embrace the country you are in and make a life where you are. I think that is really important for women who are moving to this wonderful country and want to make a success of themselves. I have worked hard with my husband to create an amazing business,” she added. Over to you. What are your biggest achievements? Let’s shout about them!
Pamela Twissell-Cross MBE, Her voluntary work during the Covid crisis rewarded with Queen’s New Year Honour
Care and compassion
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AMELA Twissell-Cross had never imagined her life would take such a turn, after retiring to Spain. After a long career saving lives in the NHS, life in Spain was missing one important element - the need to continue helping others. Following a decade of voluntary work with the Royal British Legion, she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List, for services to British nationals overseas. Pamela became involved with the Royal British Legion as a welfare volunteer caseworker in 2011, becoming District Community Support Coordinator three years later. Despite the role being voluntary, the satisfaction she gained from the job made it almost full time. Pamela became involved with coordinating all the welfare work for an area stretching from the Spanish border with France down to Almeria. As if that wasn’t enough, she also took on responsibility for a similar role in the Balearic Islands. Pamela works tirelessly in her efforts to find men and women that would benefit from the Royal British Legion’s help and support. Once found, she ensures relevant and specific help is provided for those beneficiaries.
Deserved
By 2020, Pamela and her team assisted an incredible 569 people throughout Spain. Pamela told the Olive Press: “I feel very honoured to be nominated for this honour, let alone chosen.” Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott said: “As with most voluntary organisations, the Covid-19 pandemic has added to the RBL’s workload and, as their patron in Spain, I know how busy Pamela has been over the past two years, managing and supporting an increasing number of calls to the helpline.” “Yet, despite the volume of work, Pamela treats each beneficiary as an individual, showing seemingly endless compassion and care. She is also a tremendous help to our consulate in Alicante, providing a level of support to prisoners, and welfare and hospitalisation cases, which we would not be able to offer alone. This honour is very richly deserved.” She received the news from the British Ambassador by telephone, thinking it was a joke. “We’d been talking about routine business and going through some figures,” explained Pam, “and then, very matter-of-fact, Hugh asked if I’d mind getting an MBE!” “It was a complete surprise and probably the most wonderful surprise I have ever had. I do wish my parents were still here to see it.” “I felt so privileged and excited because I do the work to give back to the community for the wonderful life I have had - I never expected anything in return.” “However,” she continued, “It would be impossible to achieve anything without the amazing team around me, especially the caseworkers who support beneficiaries in so many ways and I cannot thank them enough for their support, ideas and trust.”
I’M PROUD THAT WOMEN THRIVE IN MY BUSINESS I don’t stand for any nonsense but that also means people know where they stand with me, which is very important in business.” But she recalls the hardships of starting up three decades ago when it was hard for a woman to be taken seriously. “I was a widow, surviving on a meagre widow’s pension and so the only way I could start up was to re-mortgage my home, borrow money and make it work,” she recalls. “I had problems finding a bank who would support me and I remember the first time I presented my business plan to get a loan, the bank manager wouldn’t address me directly but kept looking towards the male friend I had brought with me. “I had to point out that it was me who was borrowing the money, that I was the business owner and when they didn’t take me seriously, I walked out and went somewhere else.” She eventually found a sym-
pathetic bank manager, a man who has supported her ever since her first venture, and who she has stayed with as he moved across different banks. She then began working with Liberty Insurance and ASSSA Seguros designing special packages for the expat market and has built up a reputation as a hugely successful expat businesswoman. “At the beginning they didn’t want to take me on and they felt sure that I would fail,” she reveals. “My style of selling was completely new to them, the culture here in Spain was so different.” “As an entrepreneur I had to take risks and convince those who had the financial backing of huge institutions behind them to take a risk on me, but I proved myself and in the end, those very same people looked to me to lead strategy and even asked me to teach them how to do it.” Outside of work she is committed to building up a hospice charity that offers invaluable support to the terminally ill and their families among the expat community on the Costa Blanca. Over the last year alone, the charity and its team of 20 volunteers has helped more than 100 people by providing care at the end of life.
The charity is very close to her heart as she set it up following the death of her son Paul from cancer when he was only 33-years-old after witnessing the care he was given during his last days in a Sue Ryder hospice in Bedfordshire. “They had taken such exceptional care of my son but on my return to Spain I looked around to see what would happen if someone was in the same circumstance here in Spain and discovered that there really wasn’t anything similar. People were simply being sent home to die to be cared for by their family, but what if that wasn't possible?” The realisation led her to set up the Paul Cunningham Nurses Charity, which is run thanks to volunteers and donations with three charity shops on the Costa Blanca – although fundraising has taken a hit with the pandemic. “We are always looking for volunteers and it would be great to have some fundraising events now Covid is less of a threat,” she says. “The business and the charity have been my reason to get out of bed and do justice to my life and to his,” she admits. Visit www.jennifercunningham.net or www. paulcunninghamnurses.com for more info
LA CULTURA
Fire festival back on the streets of Valencia
THE Fallas de Valencia celebrations are in full swing with a return to pre-pandemic schedules. The heady mix of fireworks, bonfires, flowers, festivals, and eye-catching giant s t a t ues are back in Valencia streets through to March 19. The celebrations were cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a scaled-down version was staged last September six months later than normal. This year’s Fallas started with a firework display at Serrano Towers
March 10th March 23rd 2022
Dear Jennifer:
Read the small print to make sure you have the correct policy
RETURN OF O THE FALLAS
N a number of occasions, I have extolled the virtues of Liberty’s fully comprehensive house policy. When asking the right questions, you will discover that many house insurance policies are inadequate. You do need to read the small print on your house policy, including checking that you have the correct policy with Liberty Seguros. Years ago, when I first started, Liberty did not offer a house policy as they were studying the British policies to discover what we, as Expats, were used to. What they offer today is the best but only if you have the updated version. There will be a number of people, that for various reasons, have stayed with their original policy, although the staff in my Renewals Department ask if you would like to know the advantages of upgrading. The other very important issue when discussing house insurance is the amount of contents cover, always remembering that with Spanish Home insurance the kitchen is included in the contents, not the buildings.
By Alex Trelinski
and a professional demonstration of rocket-lighting in Valencia’s Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The origins of Las Fallas dates back to the 15th century when carpenters celebrated the arrival of spring on March 19 by burning wooden planks used to prop up their lamps during winter. That date is
Accidental
also the feast day of the patron saint of carpenters, San Jose, who is also Valen-
On the tiles
A LARGE mosaic dating back to Roman times has been uncovered at an olive grove in Cordoba. A ‘fortuitous earth movement’ led to a farmer making the remarkable discovery in the town of Adamuz. He then reported the major artifact to the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) and archaeologists began digging on the site. Archaeologist Alejandro Ibañez, who led the team of excavators, said: “This province of ours does not stop giving us surprises”. For security reasons, and to avoid looting, the specific place of the discovery has not been revealed. Mayor of Adamuz, Rafael Angel Moreno, said that
HIDDEN TREASURE: In Cordoba
OP QUICK CROSSWORD Across 6 It lay in the house that Jack built (4) 7 Crude source (8) 9 Finely chopped (8) 10 Pop, air and cap (4) 11 Recent architectural genre (13) 14 No-nonsense stance (4,9) 17 Opera singer --- Terfel (4) 19 Total sales (8) 20 Reorganising ripe romp is unseemly (8) 21 Disney dog (4)
Down
OP SUDOKU
11
1 Spa wear (8) 2 Turnings in town, often windy (6,7) 3 Caribbean cult (6) 4 “Mrs. Dalloway” author (8,5) 5 Scottish valley (4) 8 Masonic group (5) 12 Trotter Boy? (3) 13 Turns out well (8) 15 King of the castle (2,3) 16 Mistakes (6) 18 Their dams produce lambs (4)
All solutions are on page 14
cia’s saint. The discarded wood from the carpenters would form the foundation for a bonfire built up with old belongings and rags to give the structure a human appearance. Over the years these have transformed into what they look like today - namely extremely well crafted giant statues. Many of them lampoon famous people - Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and General Franco have all featured in recent years. They are then burnt in the Crema, the culmination of the Fallas on March 19.
Also there is a wonderful extra you can add to your policy and that is accidental damage, which is unique to Liberty Seguros and covers many breakages and claims within the home. Therefore can I please ask you all to double check the coverage of your home policies, whether you are with Jennifer Cunningham Insurance and Liberty, or another company, to understand the cover you actually have. Finding out you have the incorrect and insufficient coverage when you want to make a claim is far too late. My ladies are currently working on assessing the home policies, and if they feel you would benefit with increased, additional coverage, they will contact you. In the meantime, if you have any concerns or questions, please contact one of my offices and we will be able to give you the advice you require and answer any questions. Just remember that your property is probably your most expensive asset, but also your home, which of course, needs the right protection.
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OUT OF ORDER
EU declares penalties for breaching infamous form 720 ‘disproportionate’
T
HE 720 form is in question. This infamous and abusive Spanish tax form has now been declared contrary to the free EU movement of capital. The EU Court of Justice ruled on 27 January 2022 that the penalties imposed are disproportionate and are not necessary to guarantee the effectiveness of the Spanish tax legal system. On top of that, the power of the Spanish Tax Office to treat that information as an undeclared capital gain, even before the four years statute of limitation has elapsed, is abusive. Form 720 is still mandatory, and it should be prepared before the end of March 2022. However, the Spanish Government must modify the current penalties. This process is not going to take less than a few months. Del Canto Chambers is now considering potential legal action to be brought against the Spanish Tax Office for those affected. Form 720 is a full declaration of absolutely all the assets held abroad by the Taxpayer, with heavy fines and penalties for lack of compliance. Form 720 is required to those who are tax resident in Spain when the value of any assets held abroad surpasses €50,000 including: ● Bank accounts ● Investments: including shares, securities, insurance… ● Properties
Claudio Rodríguez, Tax Counsel European Lawyer and Spanish Abogado (London) The fines imposed for not complying are: ● €5,000 for every piece of information that is not submitted, or if it’s not accurate. €10,000 is the minimum fine paid if this omission is detected by the authorities. ● €100 for every piece of information on the form when it is submitted by post, rather than electronically. €1,500 is the minimum fine paid if the individual does not complete the electronic form. ● €100 for every piece of information on the form when it is submitted after the deadline and before it is requested by the Tax Authorities. But that’s not all. Any assets not listed on the form will be included in your taxable base as an undeclared gain. In that case there was a penalty of 150% applied to the relevant unpaid tax. Thankfully, this has now been declared illegal by the EU Court.
Del Canto Chambers has an in-depth understanding of international tax, legal affairs, property law and residence issues. We offer a Tax and Legal Residence Opinion service that will clearly set out your options with regard to living and paying tax overseas. To make a no-obligation enquiry, please either call us now on: +44 2070 430648 or Make An Online Enquiry at delcantochambers.com. We will come back to you within 24 hours and we will be delighted to help you.
12
GREEN
www.theolivepress.es
March 10th - March 23rd 2022
DO SOMETHING!
MEPS visit Spain to study Mar Menor pollution MEPS have been on a fact-finding mission in Spain to see why the Med’s biggest saltwater lagoon is ‘dying’. The European Parliament delegates will compile a report over the next three months that aims to get an all-party consensus to approve a package of financial help to clean up the Mar Menor in Murcia.
Audit
Latvia MEP and a member of the Green group in Brussels, Tatjana Zdanoka, said that she would propose that any EU funds allocated to help the regeneration of the Murcia lagoon should be fully audited. Zdanoka said that the MEPs were able to verify ‘firsthand the gravity of the environmental state of the Mar Menor’. “It is a problem which has many origins, which must be addressed at all levels of administrations, which includes European bodies,” she said.
Drying up SPAIN’S reservoirs have dropped by 155 hectares of water in just one week adding to the severe threat of drought. This means water stores have fallen by 0.3%. Currently 24,713 cubic hectometers of water are stored in Spain’s reservoirs about 44% of overall capacity. This is nearly a third less than the ten year average and 31.33% less than in the same week a year ago.
The Mar Menor has suffered a series of mass death events with tonnes of fish and other sea creatures washed ashore. Scientists believe that a lack of oxygen has been the probable cause. This problem has been blamed on
high levels of fertiliser and pig slurry seeping into the water from the Campo de Cartagena. It has become a big issue, with thousands of demonstrators demanding action at a series of marches over the past few years.
Shameful record SPAIN has been given a shameful title - the biggest exporter of shark fins in the EU. A report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare highlighted the nation’s ‘key’ role in the trade, which it claims is leading several species to extinction. Spain shipped 51,795.32 tonnes of fins, with Hong Kong. Taiwan and Singapore major importers. Portugal, the Netherlands, France and Italy were next in line as exporters. Despite shipping the most shark fins, Spain was behind Italy when it came to exports of shark meat. Italian fishermen sold 608.47 tonnes of the fish.
As electricity prices soar, end users might like to know about one of the fat cats cashing in
WHAT A BUGGER’S MUDDLE WE are all up to speed with the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Ukraine, but at what cost to the environment? Simple answer: MASSIVE!! This horrifying international conflict is just another reason why humanity must cut its reliance on nonrenewable resources such as gas and oil. Reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable. FACT. The war in Ukraine is tied to the climate crisis in many ways. The aggressor is a petrostate whose long term economic future depends on slow action to cut emissions. On the one hand European dependence on Russian oil and gas is driving conversation on accelerating the transition to clean energy. That’s the good news. On the other hand terrible actions are occurring. Fossil fuel extraction is set to increase. In Germany the anti-nuclear Green Party, which heads the coalition in power, is starting to think that nuclear is a better option than depending on Russian gas. And it’s considering reviving coal mines to generate electricity. In Hamburg, energy company Vattenfall, has halted preparations for dismantling the Moorburg coal plant as a consequence of this war. The 27 countries in the European Union get 40% of their natural gas from Russian controlled sources. Putin sees this as a distinct advantage. SHALE IS BACK The climate movement has fought hard to stop fracking and phase out fossil fuels. But fracked shale gas is making a comeback in America because it’s plentiful. MILITARY POLLUTION The world’s militaries are the largest climate polluters in history. The military uses more liquified fossil fuels and emits more CO2 than most countries do.
Green
HIGHER DEFENCE SPENDING
Putin is dragging the world into a new era of higher defence spending and military priorities. This will have a direct impact on the necessary finance required to meet targets agreed to at COP-26. War will slice through the resolve countries have to tackle climate change. COP-26 was less than four months ago and already the landscape has drastically changed. PUTIN: “The smiling climate change assassin”
HEADLINES CHANGED This war has understandably grabbed the headlines. A major climate change report, important to us all, is not getting the publicity it should. The IPCC report once again hammers home the need for change. The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutteres described the contents as ‘An atlas of suffering’. (Not all Russians support Putin. The Moscow delegation at the IPCC apologised on behalf of those opposed to the conflict to the IPCC co chair Hans-Otto Portner.) How will Europe manage its energy crisis? ONE THING IS FOR SURE…OUR UTILITY BILLS WILL RISE Gas and electricity bills will continue to rise. As will petrol and diesel prices. Oil has now topped US$105 a barrel - the highest for eight years. Remember how you thought not that long ago petrol would never get to €1 a litre? Soon we’ll see it hit €2 a litre. Remember cheap electricity 18 months ago? We all go ouch when bills arrive now! How long before a KWh of electricity costs €1?
RUSSIAN IRONY It’s ironic that whilst this war wages on, climate issues in Russia are a real concern for Russian citizens. (Not the top of Putin’s list). In Russia the very ground is moving. Melting permafrost is believed to have brought one of the worst environmental disasters in the country’s recent past. In 2020 during a heatwave the subsiding earth caused a tank to split, spilling 20,000 tons of diesel into the rivers and lakes near Norilsk. And while Russia pursues its imperial war in the south, in the north climate change has launched a chemical war. Anthrax released from the melting soil in recent years is only the first warning shot. Tackling these problems requires huge investment and planning. This should be Russia’s priority. Not unsolicited territory grabs. For those not familiar with the term ‘Bugger’s Muddle’, it comes from a 1950s post war expression meaning an absolute mess. Bugger - to sodomise, ruin, wreck, incapacitate, thwart. Just about sums up Mr Putin.
Martin Tye is the owner of energy switch company Mariposa Energy. +34 638145664 ( Spain Phone ) Email him at martin@mariposaenergia.es
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FOOD, DRINK & TRAVEL
Paddies are back!
A WORLD-famous St. Patrick's Day parade returns to the Costa Blanca next week for the first time since 2019. Kicking off the celebrations as 'Grand Master' will be one of Ireland's greatest sportsmen, ex-world middleweight boxing title holder, Steve Collins - nicknamed the 'Celtic Warrior'. First held in 2011, the March 17 parade on the Orihuela Costa's Cabo Roig strip is the biggest celebration in Spain of Ireland's patron saint. The Covid pandemic led to the last-minute cancellation of the 2020 event, with festivities also shelved last year. It is one of the largest St. Patrick's Day events in Europe not far behind Dublin in terms of scale. The two-hour parade, which this year falls on a Thursday, starts at 3.00 pm, with attractions on the Cabo Roig strip beginning 90 minutes earlier. The Cabo Roig strip will turn into a Mediterranean sea of green for the day, with bars and restaurants offering all things Irish including food, drink, and traditional Irish hospitality. There will be entertainment for children including face-painting and magicians; a classic car show; and an extensive line up of musicians at all hospitality venues.
Spain relaxes Covid travel regulations for visitors
TRAVELLERS from non-EU countries will be allowed entry to Spain if they have a Covid recovery certificate, in the latest loosening of travel restrictions. Until now Spain had only allowed tourists from ‘high risk’ third countries if they were fully vaccinated with EU-approved vaccines and had a certificate to prove it. But Spanish authorities have relaxed the rules and now allow all WHO approved vaccines as well as certificates proving that a traveller has recovered from Covid within the last six months. Recovery certificates must be recognised documents issued by health authorities in the travellers home country, such as an NHS pass. Although the rules have been
March 10th March 23rd 2022
13
LOOSER RULES By Fiona Govan
relaxed for non-EU/EEA nationals for non-essential travel, some proof of either vaccination or recovery is required. Those non EU/EEA citizens
Top shelf shopping HIPERCOR has been ranked as Spain’s ‘most-valued’ national supermarket retailer. The verdict comes in a customer survey compiled by Spain’s OCU consumer organisation with Hipercor leading the nationwide rankings. Condis, Dia, and Spar got the lowest appreciation from customers. The OCU stressed that lower marks did not mean that outlets were viewed as bad, but it was simply a means of comparing customer experiences. The all-round rating was achieved by ranking opening hours and product availability in addition to offers and fresh food selection, and overall price levels.
who are unvaccinated and do not have a recovery certificate are still banned unless their reason for travel falls into one of the exemptions. These do not include tourism. The rules apply to all travellers over the age of 18, although 12 to 17-year-olds who don’t have a full vaccination record can instead produce a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before travelling.
Enjoy Mediterranean cuisine in a beautiful environment
Booster
Children aged under 12 don’t need a PCR test or vaccination record. Current rules also demand that the last dose of a vaccine must have been administered between two weeks prior and within nine months of entry – so for many people proof of a booster is now required.
Paseo Maritimo de la Patacona n 14, 46120, Alboraya, Valencia I T. 96 372 40 95 I 618 356 043 I info@casapatacona.com
14
HEALTH
March 10th - March 23rd 2022
Weighing in on Spain’s ever growing obesity crisis
SPANISH researchers have discovered a protein that protects the brain from Alzheimer’s disease. The discovery was made by a team of researchers from the Spanish National Research Council and announced this week. They found that a little-known protein called LRP3 controls levels of beta-amyloid, which builds up in layers in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Reducing these layers is known to improve symptoms of Alzheimer’s, so targeting this protein could be an important development in treating the disease. Little was known until now about the functions of this protein in the body. Researchers found that levels of LRP3 were greatly reduced in people with Alzheimer’s compared to healthy people, showing a clear link. Some 40,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s are diagnosed in Spain each year and it is the leading cause of dementia and disability in older people worldwide.
Spain’s obesity problem worsens during Covid crisis with more than half of population now overweight SPAIN is turning into a nation of fatties, with health bosses warning that more than half the population is overweight. According to a study carried out by the Spanish Society of Obesity (Seedo), the rise in
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to represent a model or example for these minors.” The Consumer Affairs ministry defined an influencer as: “a person with a high level of influence over children and young people because of their large number of followers on social or digital media, and who interacts through messages on networks, blogs, posts, videos or similar media.” A 2019 study found over 40% of Spanish children aged six to nine were over
PANDEMIC POUNDS
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Bad influence
their recommended weight. Alberto Garzon, the coordinator for the United Left alliance in the coalition government, said the measures were necessary in order to tackle ‘the serious public health problem of childhood obesity’. In addition, high-profile figures popular among children, such as Youtubers, will also be asked to participate in public health campaigns to promote physical activity and healthy eating. The PP were quick to respond to the announcement, with a mocking tweet that read: “Drugs, yes. Sweets, no.”
By Jorge Hinojosa
the number of people considered obese is ‘alarming’ with the pandemic blamed for worsening the problem. The data shows that 53.8% of people asked have problems with their weight, with 36.3% classified as overweight and another 17.2% considered obese. Weight problems are afflicting more over 65s with 66% categorised as overweight. The study also revealed how little physical exercise is carried out among the population with 40% admitting they do no exercise at all. The Covid pandemic has increased the number of people with weight problems according to the Spanish Society of Obesity. The rise is blamed in part on Covid restrictions. Even after Spain came out of the strictest
lockdown in Europe, sports centres remained closed for another four months. And after they reopened, many people were put off from going because face masks were still compulsory.
Diet
A previous survey by Seedo revealed that 44% of Spaniards had gained weight during the quarantine in 2020. The latest survey also showed that more women than men wanted to lose weight, with more than half of those asked admitting to dieting in the previous six months.
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OP Puzzle solutions Quick Crossword
Across: 6 Malt, 7 Oilfield, 9 Shredded, 10 Guns, 11 Postmodernism, 14 Zero tolerance, 17 Bryn, 19 Turnover, 20 Improper, 21 Lady. Down: 1 Bathrobe, 2 Street corners, 3 Voodoo, 4 Virginia Woolf, 5 Glen, 8 Lodge, 12 Del, 13 Succeeds, 15 On top, 16 Errors, 18 Rams.
SUDOKU
Spanish researchers make Alzheimer’s breakthrough
THE Spanish government has announced plans to ban influencers from advertising junk food to children. The plans outlined would see anyone in a position of influence from marketing food and drink high in sugar, salt or fat. The draft legislation states: “The ban would prohibit appearances in commercial communications by parents, educators, teachers, children’s TV professionals, sportspeople, artists, influencers, and people or characters – be they real or fictional – who may, by dint of their careers, be likely
Weighty issues ONE in three children between the ages of 12 and 14 in the Valencian Community are overweight according to regional figures. Numbers show that a quarter of youngsters aged six have weight issues. Problems start early in life with 23.2% of youngsters showing excess weight at just three years. The data has been collated in follow-ups done by school health examinations carried out at key ages (3, 6, 12 and 14 years) by pediatric teams based at local health centres. The prevalence of being overweight is higher in girls than in boys at 3 years of age (25%) and at 6 years of age (15.6% versus 13.2%), while at 12 years of age it is already lower in girls (18.5%) than in boys (20.2%).
Health plan
The Valencia region statistics are actually lower than the Spanish average which shows 40.6% of children between six and nine are overweight. Excess weight in childhood is a useful predictor of poor adult health, increasing the risk of getting conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal or psychosocial disorders. The Valencian Community health plan looks to monitor child obesity through measuring body mass index and, where appropriate, offering a diagnosis for overweight or obesity. Pro-active measures have been taken that promote Mediterranean and local food in all school meals. The menu analysis of 377 schools in the region show that the options for fish, legumes and pre-cooked dishes is high, although there is room for improvement for fresh fruit and vegetables.
952 147 834
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OLIVE PRESS
REuse REduce REcycle We use recycled paper
Ashes to C-ashes
FINAL WORDS
JARS of volcanic ash from the La Palma volcano are the new must-have tourist souvenir with proceeds going towards helping those affected rebuild their lives and homes.
Diablo double? British popstar Dua Lipa has found herself in hot water over accusations that her smash hit ‘Levitating’ is plagiarised from Spanish singer Miguel Bose disco track ‘Don Diablo’.
Bed-handed THREE burglars were caught in the act robbing an Alicante apartment after making useless attempts at evading police. Officers found two men crouched behind a bed while a third was hiding behind a sofa.
VALENCIA / COSTA AZAHAR FREE Vol. 1 Issue 33 www.theolivepress.es
Massive lineup of UK’s finest set for summer festivals By George Mathias
BRITAIN’S best are set to descend on Spain this summer at a series of long-overdue music festivals. They include Arctic Monkeys, Liam Gallagher and the Chemical Brothers at the recently announced Cala Mijas festival in September. It is the first Chemical Brothers concert in Spain for seven years.
Gotta Basque ‘em all
Your expat
voice in Spain March 10th - March 23rd 2022
HITMAKERS: A stella line-up of British acts are coming to Spain this summer
HERE COME THE
In addition, creative Londoner James Blake is joined by Hot Chip and Bonobo.
TORREVIEJA has become Europe’s first city to install warning pavement lights to warn mobile phone distracted pedestrians of dangers at crossings. Red and green lights have been put into the pavement in a pilot scheme at a crossing on in front of Torrevieja Casino. In a recent survey by
Billed as ‘the perfect end to summer’, Cala Mijas invites attendees to ‘embrace the warmth and feel the
breeze of the south on your skin’. Elsewhere, James Blunt and Madness are performing at Barcelona’s Jardins de Pedralbes Festival. Alternative music festival Primavera Sound, also in Barcelona, includes a host of British bands, including Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz and Trip-Hop supremos Massive Attack. At Mad Cool in Madrid in July you’ll find Stormzy, Muse, Alt-J, Placebo and Florence and the Machine.
Sign of the times Axa 37% of people admitted to crossing streets looking down at their phone and not concentrating on the situation at hand. The ‘smart’ system works in parallel with the traditional traffic lights on the Avenida de La Libertad crossing and will show pedestrians looking down at the pavement when entering the crossing either a red or green light.
FANS of Pokemon are convinced that the release of two new games will be set in a virtual world based on Spain. Trailers for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were released by Nintendo last week, revealing the game’s new map which many fans said looked remarkably similar to the topographical outline of Spain. The colour scheme chosen for the games, Scarlet and Violet also recalls the Spanish Republican flag, whilst some of the architecture featured looked to many like a homage to Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. Each of the Pokemon games’ setting is normally inspired by real life countries or regions.
Fuecoco
A further clue was given thanks to the release of a new pokemon character - Fuecoco - the word is an alleged mishmash of ‘fire’ and ‘crocodile’ in Spanish. While another new character called Sprigatito, uses the Spanish ‘ito’ suffix, presumably meaning this pokemon will be small and cute. There were also parallels between the house featured in the trailer and traditional andalucian country houses.
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