on Tuesday, 5 November. Are 10.30 am and, like every morning since more than a decade ago, Mohammed Belal Aziz Khatun rises the blind Bushra Spain, a call that makes photocopies and sends money to any part of the world from the plaza de Lavapies. Well visible in front of the desk there is a paper written by hand: “Embassy of Bangladesh: Arturo Soria metro station”. Mohammed -57 years, 32 in Madrid and has Spanish citizenship —teaches the passport to avoid spell his name— and will vote on the Sunday.
But did not see the debate Monday. “Tired,” he says in a Spanish brief. What is the policy? “No!” he laughs, “Of work. We close at 11 that night. Every day of the year. If you ask what I would ask a candidate who entered by the door, replies: “lift the economy”. Do something more concrete? “Stop passing cars to the neighborhood. Now there are many tourists, but do not buy”. Even so, you do not want to complain: “This is the first world and you can talk. I’m from the third world. They say that there is democracy, but you cannot say what you think”.
five minutes later comes Martin Ferrara, an employee of yours since last march. He’s 47 years old, is from peru, has a 27-in Europe. She has not wanted to be nationalized: “My things”. It is one of the five million foreign —10.7 % of the population— which, according to the INE living in Spain. Can’t vote on Sunday but saw part of the debate. Interested him, Albert Rivera, and Pablo Iglesias. The first by his proposal for “a health card worth in all parties”. Before he lived in the Canary islands and to move it “killed him” with the paperwork.
The second because “the struggle against gender-based violence”. Have a 13 year old daughter and cares for her but does not believe that Spain is a country macho: “Macho is Peru”. And adds impostando the solemnity: “Now I have the european mentality”. And what about racist? Is it a racist country? “Like the others”, he replies. His head seems more dramatic: “In England the cops are more educated. You say ‘Good morning, sir’ when you ask for the documentation. Here: ‘You, the papers’. Have been studied less.” When it jumps to the chat, the accusation of Vox that there are more criminals among the immigrants, the two agree: “they Lie”.
“what The politicians are all thieves?”, question the pattern. “I heard they want to build a wall,” Martin adds. “But if the majority comes through the airport with a tourist visa! And those who come to Africa not for a wall. What can die? If they stay in their countries to die for sure.”
None of the two has felt belittled for being a foreigner. “Is that I am Spanish”, corrects Mohammed instantly. “And I’m all day in the shop. Nor drink nor go to clubs”. His biggest problem, he laments, is Spanish. Have two children born in Spain. The boy, 22 years old, studying in London International Business. The girl, 12, remains in a school in the neighborhood. “Sometimes,” she says, “tells me that I may go to school.” To improve the language. And check to laugh thinking of the little girl: “When I speak in bangla I loose: ‘go to your country’. I replied: ‘you racist!”
