Political tensions are rising in Spain as large-scale wildfires continue to threaten several regions of the country. The People’s Party (Partido Popular, PP) has strongly criticized the head of Civil Protection and Emergency Services, Virginia Barcones, accusing her of ineffective management and creating artificial conflicts surrounding the distribution of aid.
The escalation was triggered by statements Barcones made after a meeting of the State Committee for the Coordination and Management of Fires. She indicated that the authorities in Galicia, Castilla y León, and Extremadura—regions governed by the PP—were making excessive demands and stirring disputes to divert attention from their own shortcomings in fighting the fires. These remarks provoked a sharp reaction from regional leaders and party officials.
The president of Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, called Barcones’ comments absurd, while deputy secretary for regional coordination Elías Bendodo took it a step further, accusing the head of civil protection of incitement and labeling her an ‘arsonist.’ According to PP representatives, Barcones is engaging in insults rather than constructive dialogue and is not helping to resolve the issue.
Virginia Barcones, in turn, emphasized that all necessary resources for firefighting were delivered promptly, and explained that her statements were aimed at defending the reputation of the national civil protection system. She called for an end to personal attacks and urged everyone to focus on working together to resolve the emergency, noting that there are still dozens of active fires in the country, some of which remain at the second level of danger.
During the discussion, it was revealed that the regional authorities of Galicia had indeed sent requests to the central government for additional equipment, aircraft, and military support to fight the fires. However, representatives of the PP claim that Madrid’s response was not quick enough and that the government tried to shift responsibility onto the regions.
Elías Bendodo also criticized the central authorities’ proposal to create a nationwide pact to combat wildfires, calling it an attempt to divert attention from real problems. In his view, the government should show initiative and offer assistance to the regions in advance, rather than waiting for official requests.
Barcones rejected the accusations of delayed assistance and stated that all regional requests were fulfilled as they were received. She also expressed concern about personal insults and pressure on social media, stressing that such attacks hinder effective work in emergency situations.
Amid ongoing fires and a difficult situation in several regions, the political conflict between the central government and the opposition is becoming increasingly tense. Issues of coordination, resource allocation, and responsibility for the consequences of natural disasters remain at the center of public attention.
The wildfire situation in Spain has once again demonstrated the importance of coordinated efforts at all levels of government and the need to avoid politicizing emergencies. For now, however, political disagreements only complicate the fight against the fires and hinder prompt decision-making.
