Like many Cubans of my generation, we were born on the island, grew up in the U.S., and had Spanish grandparents or great grandparents.  This is because Cuba was a Spanish colony until 1898 (Spanish-American War), and the new country was flooded with Iberian immigrants in the first half of the 20th century.  In other words, I grew up with Spanish traditions and have always been interested in what happens in Spain.

Over the weekend, the voters in Spain said "no" to the socialists.  It was a loud rejection as we see in this report from Reuters:

Spain's ruling Socialists suffered heavy losses to opposition conservatives in Sunday's local election, with around 95% of the votes counted, showing their electoral vulnerability ahead of an end-of-year general election.

Only three of the 12 regions holding elections will retain Socialist dominance by very narrow margins, with the rest likely go to the conservative People's Party, albeit with coalitions or informal support agreements with the far-right Vox party.

"The map changes completely and is a boost for Alberto Nuñez Feijoo -- the new leader of the PP -- ahead of the elections at the end of the year," said Ignacio Jurado, professor of political science at the Carlos III University.

The gains for the People's Party (PP) indicate the conservatives could unseat the current left-wing coalition led by the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) if they replicate the performance in national elections by December.

Let me remind you that they have a parliamentary system, so coalitions will determine the final results.  Nevertheless, it was a bad weekend for the left.

So what happened?  My friend in Madrid told me a couple of things over the phone:

First, it's the economy "estúpido."  It matters in Spain, too.

Second, we saw a little nationalism blossoming.  Many feel that the euro has tied up Spanish exports and tourism.  In other words, Spanish goods consumed here or in tourist spots would be a lot cheaper with their old "peseta" than the euro.  I'm not saying this is the Spanish version of Brexit, but it sounds a bit like it.

Third, the left is obsessed with gender and issues that don't matter to people struggling with their family budgets.

To be fair, this is my friend's opinion, and he voted for the right.  However, he is a serious man, and his analysis is probably right.

What's next?  P.M. Pedro Sánchez of the left is calling for general elections.

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