Exploiting autonomist hate with hantavirus

Newspapers that during the Procés were exclaiming in the corners that Spain was breaking and that the most important thing was to maintain the cohesion of the entire Spain are taking advantage of the hantavirus crisis these days to stir up regional grievances. It is enough to see the headline in El Mundo on the matter: “Canaries explode against Health: «What is this that the boat is coming here?»”. A nice coincidence: not only is there the inevitable criticism of the PSOE, but the headline contains no information and relies entirely on emotion. We don't know who is making the quote, nor which poor Canarians are exploding full of indignation. All we are left with is an empty phrase, which is limited to recording this anonymized indignation with the aim of making it pass as collective and global. The tactic is identical to the sensationalism of the British tabloids.

Ok Diario, for its part, does something even more perverse in one of the 2,541 articles they dedicate to the matter. They interview the vice-president of the community, Manuel Domínguez, who makes this statement: “Sánchez is capable of anything, but I prefer not to think that he is sending the boat to the Canaries because the PP rules there.” It is sensational, because not only is it evident that he does think it – and he launches it as a hypothesis –, but he covers his back with this rhetorical device. It is what we journalists sometimes do when we interview someone, that instead of asking what we would really like to know, such as “Are you stupid?”, we opt for a diplomatic (and cowardly) “What would you say to those who think you are stupid?”. In 99% of cases, you can bet that the interviewer is among those who share this criticism of the subject in question. Days of uncertainty are coming that will excite the temptation to exaggerate the matter for political gain. One hopes that the usual suspects will show a minimum of restraint. Or responsibility.