Jose Maria Aznar, or "my friend Ansar"--as mispoken by George W. Bush--is the symbol of right-wing politics in Spain. A tax-inspector who became leader, first of a little town, later of the conservative party, and finally of Spain. And if the story would have ended there, if "Aznar" wouldn't have turned out to be "Ansar, my friend with the mustache" we would live a comfortable and innocent existence in our country.

But it didn't. If you could have shown people the future, nobody would have believed that Spain would be an active participant in a war against Iraq. Nobody would have thought it possible that Spain would support activities that undermine the foundations of the UN or that this small and interesting country would be responsible for the largest division ever in the European Community (EC).

Before Aznar, Spain had successfully completed its first years within the EC and was suffering like all young left-winged democracies from corruption, economic difficulties, and an inability to stop terrorism. Franco's dictatorship had deeply wounded Spanish society and those wounds wouldn't heal within the first years, as most of the principal actors of the regime kept power within industries, politics, and the military. Easy to understand: those who ruled before still own the country.

Everybody in Spain would have understood a harsh fight against terrorism within Spain--shortly before Aznar became president he suffered terrorism directly when his car was bombed--everybody would have accepted greater investment and private enterprise and, without any doubt, would have applauded seeing Spain with a voice and vote in the international community. But Aznar went a lot further than that. His goal was from the very first moment the creation of a highly competitive machinery--without hindering social concerns or annoying laws--supporting privatization and supporting development and less investment in education, less social protection, and fewer cultural programs.

Today, Spain has lost nearly all stability of employment, even if official statements always show the contrary, with hilarious figures. Most jobs are unsteady. Owning a home has become nearly impossible for most younger people.

The paychecks of 52 percent of Spanish families are unable to last through the month, and criminality, especially against women (domestic violence), has broken all records this year. Low level corruption has turned out to be more efficient on very high levels, where it is more difficult to investigate or to be understood by the population and undermines attempts at independent political expression. But worse have been the growing political independence movements.

When Aznar entered government, the Basque community (Pais Vasco) was the most outstanding voice for a complete independence from the Spanish state--a voice full of brutal means, violence, and terrorism. But there was a kind of dialogue and a clear commitment of the leading parties to find a peaceful way towards social and political peaceful coexistence.

Now, the Basque government is just a step away from getting imprisoned if they hold a referendum. The Catalonian government is in the hands of pro-independence parties and the Andalusian government is starting to follow. Spain is literally breaking into pieces.

The mainstream press has become the reflection of what the government in Madrid wants people to hear and see. Former relationships with Arabian countries and communities have changed into ice cold communications between states and people that before shared a common past and now look at each other as enemies. South America has also changed in its relationships with Spain, as most countries and their inhabitants have learned about the "new" way of doing business. A Spanish company is no longer considered a friendly and integrated corporation, but is seen as any other profit-seeking enterprise.

Aznar professionalized politics by copying the American Republicans and their way of "doing things." So he shows off Spain as a powerful country, with a powerful army, a powerful economy, and what all that power can achieve. Spain will spend more money in its military budget than the EC in the next four years, while dismantling most of Spain's social gains and institutions. And Aznar will without any doubt oppose any efforts for preserving nature.

But Spain is not America. If in America 87% of its inhabitants said "NO" to war, like the Spanish population did, Bush would have abandoned the White House quicker than any former president. Mr. Aznar just quoted the demonstrations with sarcastic humor and announced harsh regulations on demonstrations "against the interests of Spain."

Sooner or later, Americans will wake up from the Blutrausch of their own president. But how will the world look at Spain then? How will we undertake the next years, within a Europe clearly drifting away from listening to our representatives? Will we be able to heal the wounds our government is opening now?

Far away have become those years when Spaniards would look on surprised at how imperialistic movements were allowed and sustained by governments like the Russian or American; where a war would be fought to achieve commercial dominance; where human rights would be violated in order to gain power and control; where money would represent more value than culture and evolution. Far away are those years, now that we are governed by exactly the same scheme. Now we start to understand that maybe American people would protest, too, would say "No!," but are not able to get well informed. And if they were, then perhaps they would realize how much democracy is worth if run and ruined by corporations.

The best democracy money can buy also represents the reality of Spain today. Eighty-seven percent said no, but then voted at elections (town-hall representatives), slightly less for Aznar's politicians than four years before. Spain has just successfully changed into a country that allows itself to act as judge and conqueror--allowed by all those who believe in becoming richer this way. We are just starting mass-media behavior when it comes to voting. It doesn't seem possible that the neo-conservatives could lose their hegemony in the next four years.

Aznar navigates the same channels as Bush, and even if his party loses the next elections, he has clearly planned the next 50 for "his" country. A country formerly owned by a dictator, then during some very short years by the People and now by the regime of corporations and profit to eternity. It obviously doesn't matter if the latter lose some elections; without support of the right-wing economy no other policy will be able to last. That's the plan of family Aznar.

Aznar, better than any other political leader in Europe knows that a conflict always builds and rebuilds chances for those without scruples. This is how he gained power, first in a little community, then in the party, and later in the whole country. Now he aims at a certain control of the EC, with the helping hand of Bush and a day-by-day more cornered Blair--or should we say with the support of those who are behind both leaders?