The article critically examines the Spanish government's response to a widespread power outage. It questions Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's repeated emphasis on investigating 'private operators,' suggesting it's a populist strategy to shift blame from the government.
The author points out that electricity supply and management is a public responsibility according to the Ley del Sector Eléctrico. They also highlight that the government, through SEPI, is the largest shareholder in Red Eléctrica, the national grid operator, and that the government heavily influences its administration. This raises questions about the government's own role in the outage.
The article criticizes the government's limited investigation, focusing on the five-second outage, rather than considering longer-term mismanagement of the energy sector, a point experts had previously warned about. The government's dismissal of earlier warnings is cited as evidence of negligence.
The article explores potential explanations for the outage, including a possible cyberattack. It notes that Sánchez's focus on this external explanation could backfire politically, potentially leading to comparison with past governmental failures to address crises. The author expresses concern that the government is trying to cover up their own negligence.
The article further argues that the government's response exemplifies its wider pattern of crisis management: initial surprise, denial of responsibility, blame-shifting, political polarization, and chaotic decision-making. The author suggests this lack of effective crisis management may negatively impact the government's standing in the upcoming elections.