Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Madrid adopts virus restrictions exposing poor-rich divide

Madrid adopts virus restrictions exposing poor-rich divide

MADRID- Heightened restrictions to stem Europe’s fastest coronavirus spread in some of Madrid’s working-class neighborhoods brought a heated debate over the prevalence of inequality in Spain back into the spotlight Monday.
The measures, including a requirement to justify trips out of the neighborhoods and reduced occupancy in shops and restaurants, affect some 860,000 residents and have been met with protests because many of those affected consider that authorities are stigmatizing the poor.
Spain is struggling to contain a second wave of the virus, which has killed at least 30,000 people, according to the country’s health ministry.
Madrid has become the epicenter of contagion, with a rate of infection — 682.57 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in two weeks — nearly three times the national average of 267.82. Europewide, that number last week was 76.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, a Socialist, met on Monday with Isabel Díaz Ayuso, of the conservative opposition Popular Party, agreeing for central and regional officials to hold bi-weekly technical and weekly political meetings to coordinate a stronger response to the outbreaks. (AP)