Columnist Erik Montalbán criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on August 12 for taking a vacation trip during a national total solar eclipse while ignoring border security in Ceuta. Montalbán reported that Sánchez planned to view the total solar eclipse from the Yebes Observatory in Guadalajara.
Spain experiences a total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, marking the first such event in the country in 121 years. The last time day turned to night for a few minutes in Spain during a total solar eclipse was August 30, 1905.
Solar eclipse trip to Yebes Observatory
Sánchez planned to fly with his entourage on the Falcon aircraft from his holiday stay in the Canary Islands to Guadalajara to observe the eclipse. After viewing the event at the Yebes Observatory, the prime minister planned to return directly to his lounger in the Canary Islands.
Montalbán stated that the flight would cost taxpayers thousands of euros. He noted that Sánchez did not consider watching the eclipse on television to save public money, describing the trip as an unnecessary expense during a national crisis.
Border security crisis in Ceuta
The columnist reported that a massive entry of 80,000 illegal immigrants recently crossed into the autonomous Spanish city of Ceuta from Morocco. Ceuta covers an area of just 18 square kilometers, and several thousand migrants remain wandering in the city without order being restored.
Montalbán criticized Sánchez for failing to address the situation in Ceuta during his vacation. He stated that the government failed to detect the approaching crowd from Morocco in advance, failed to prevent the entry while it took place, and failed to restore order in the city.
Vacation activities and government promotional image
Sánchez stayed at the La Mareta palace in the Canary Islands during his summer vacation. Montalbán noted that while residents in Ceuta lacked tranquility, the prime minister remained relaxed and shared music and book recommendations with his social media followers.
Government communications distributed a photograph showing Sánchez at work that was retouched using artificial intelligence. The image hid his legs because sandals and swim trunks do not look good on camera, and showed him moving an optical mouse across a glass table where optical technology does not work.
Living costs and summer forest fires
Montalbán argued that the response to Ceuta reflects broader institutional paralysis in Spain caused by government weakness and incompetence. He noted that worker salaries buy less as the cost of living rises faster than wages, while uncontrolled summer forest fires burn each year due to a lack of firefighting resources and improper rural management.
