The PP criticizes the hantavirus management: "It's chaos"

MadridIt was only a matter of time before the management of the hantavirus crisis spilled into the political arena. It did so this Thursday, two days after the debate began on whether the Canary Islands should be a stop for the ship 'MV Hondius', where the outbreak of the disease has been detected. The PP has already criticized the role of Pedro Sánchez's government, while Vox has insinuated that if the Minister of Health, Mónica García, has finally accepted the cruise ship's passage, it is because she expects a future position in the World Health Organization (WHO).

The PP spokesperson in Congress, Ester Muñoz, has denounced an "absolute chaos" and stated that García is not "prepared" for it: "She should have resigned a long time ago." In this regard, she has requested an extraordinary appearance of the head of Health in Congress to report on the situation and also whether the 14 Spaniards on board must undergo quarantine or not. Muñoz has criticized the contradictions between Health and the Ministry of Defense, as this Wednesday Margarita Robles stated that the confinement of Spanish citizens once they arrive at the High-Level Isolation Unit of the Central Defense Hospital Gómez Ulla (Madrid) would be "voluntary." This Thursday in an interview, García has asked for "responsibility" from the citizens on board the ship and recalled that the State has "legal mechanisms" for citizen protection, although she has not specified them.

In Muñoz's opinion, it gives citizens no "peace of mind" to think that the health crisis can be managed by the same people who did not give "importance" to the coronavirus. The president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, in a message on X, stated: "In a health crisis, a government does not ask for calm, it transmits it."

For their part, the leader of the far-right party Vox, Santiago Abascal, has criticized the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, since the Andalusian campaign, stating that he "has no scruples and is capable of causing an epidemic just so that corruption is not talked about." In parallel, the PSOE and Sumar have supported Mónica García. The Minister of Youth, Sira Rego, has said that "everything is under control."

Complaints from the Canary Islands

From the outset, the Canary Islands government has viewed the stopover of the ship 'MV Hondius' on its coast with reluctance, but has above all also criticized the lack of information they say the Spanish government has given them. This Thursday there are several meetings between the Canary government and the Ministries of Health and the Interior involved in the hantavirus protocol, but Coalición Canaria has lamented the lack of transparency. Taking advantage of the debate in Congress regarding the detention of members of the Flotilla in Israel, the Canary politician Cristina Valido, snapped at the Spanish government: "When President Pedro Sánchez has a moment, let him call President Clavijo". Precisely the head of the Canary executive participated in this Thursday's meeting in Madrid with Health and the Interior and upon leaving lamented the Spanish government's decision to admit the ship with the hantavirus outbreak.

According to him, Spain did not have the "legal obligation" to do so and considered that it would have been better for the passengers themselves to travel from Cape Verde to their respective countries. However, Praia refused and Health decided to heed the request of the World Health Organization. What Clavijo did celebrate is that the ship will not reach the coast of Granadilla but will anchor and from there they will be transported by aircraft to the airport so that they can all be repatriated.

From the plenary session of Congress, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, defended the stopover of the ship

MV Hondius

From the plenary session of Congress, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has defended the stop of the ship