La huelga general de este miércoles, la novena de la democracia, ha servido para canalizar un malestar generalizado en España por la desigualdad económica que tiene en el acceso a la vivienda su cara más dramática. Organizada en condiciones inéditas, forzada por una movilización social espontánea, sin conflictos laborales concretos y en pleno periodo preelectoral, la huelga ha tenido un seguimiento dispar por todo el país, pero un impacto suficiente en la vida cotidiana como para estar a la altura de las expectativas que se habían fijado los sindicatos y, más importante, para que, más allá de las valoraciones de cada uno, todos los actores políticos y económicos se sientan interpelados. Nadie puede desoír el mensaje.

La primera huelga general en la era del teletrabajo ha hecho difícil calibrar el seguimiento con precisión. En Madrid, el tráfico de un miércoles normal bajó un 13%. En Barcelona, cayó a la mitad y además fue imposible moverse en transporte público. El consumo eléctrico, un indicador de actividad, se movió en torno a un 7,5% menos de lo previsto por la mañana y el 4% por la tarde. La incidencia fue muy desigual según industrias y territorios.

La expresión más visible de la protesta fueron, pese al tiempo desapacible, las manifestaciones multitudinarias, aunque hubo que lamentar inaceptables episodios de violencia y vandalismo como los que sucedieron en Barcelona, y en otros sitios, escenas de tensión con la policía y un empleo de la fuerza que deberá aclararse. Es en estas marchas, oficiales y no oficiales, donde se pudo apreciar el hartazgo con los poderes públicos por el problema que más preocupa a los españoles, según el último sondeo del CIS, del mes de septiembre: la carestía de la vivienda, que condena a millones de españoles a la angustia financiera a pesar del contexto de crecimiento económico.

La huelga navega sobre una indignación de fondo que estalló a partir del desahucio y posterior fallecimiento de Maricarmen Abascal en Madrid, y su convocatoria coincidió de manera casi simultánea con el anuncio de las elecciones del 29-N. La campaña empieza en la noche de este jueves. Por primera vez, un Gobierno ha apoyado una huelga general. Y el PP ha reaccionado con una virulencia inexplicable contra los sindicatos, cuando el propio partido reconoce la importancia del problema de la vivienda. El carácter atípico de la huelga hace que quede a merced de una interpretación política que diluye su significado. Nadie se siente directamente interpelado como responsable, ni el Gobierno de España ni tampoco los gobiernos autonómicos en quienes recaen parte de las competencias en vivienda. Pero todos tendrían que escuchar, y actuar.

La trascendencia de este 11 de noviembre podría medirse de otra manera. Una referencia pertinente son las movilizaciones feministas del 8 de marzo de 2018, que cambiaron para siempre la conversación sobre la desigualdad de género en España. Por eso sería un error que los partidos políticos, administraciones y patronales entendieran la huelga como una expresión momentánea de frustración. Los votantes castigarán a quienes se echen en cara la movilización en vez de debatir las razones que la motivan. La catarsis que se desencadenó con el desahucio de Maricarmen no ha terminado. La huelga general no es el final, sino el principio de algo que, sin contornos definidos, tiene potencial para condicionar cualquier decisión política a partir de ahora. El mensaje está enviado y nadie, en ningún espacio de poder de España, lo puede ignorar.

Large parts of Spain remain under weather alert this Wednesday afternoon, with the south and west of the peninsula and Canary Islands experiencing particularly severe rain and potentially hurricane-force winds.

Spain’s state Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued a special warning for heavy and persistent rain, very strong gusts of wind and rough seas in many parts of the country, with a red warning in place for the north of Cáceres and the south of Ávila.

READ ALSO: What do Spain’s orange and red weather alerts mean for the public?

The storm is due to the convergence of two low-pressure systems. 

The first, Bruna, is situated to the northwest of Spain and has been bringing rain, wind and rough seas to the Atlantic coast and the Canary Islands for several days. 

The second, Charles, is advancing rapidly and will gain strength in the coming hours. It will reach the mainland on Wednesday afternoon, after passing the Canary Islands and Madeira. 

As well as extremely strong winds, at times reaching hurricane force, the storm is carrying warm tropical air, meaning it will bring heavy rain, particularly in mountainous areas.

Looking at AEMET communications online, the weather agency has published a weather alert map showing the majority of Spain under yellow or orange-level warnings: 

⚠️ Mucha precaución este miércoles: jornada muy adversa por la lluvia, el viento y el mal estado de la mar como consecuencia de la borrasca Charles. ℹ️ Mantente informado de la situación meteorológica y sigue las recomendaciones de Protección Civil. https://t.co/cxUC5xo6DE

— AEMET (@AEMET_Esp) November 11, 2026

In the Canary Islands, wind gusts will reach up to 130 km/h on La Palma, where a dozen flights have been cancelled and classes have been suspended on Tenerife, La Palma and La Graciosa. 

The whole of the mainland, except for Asturias and Cantabria, remains on alert this Wednesday for heavy rain or gale-force winds. It will rain across almost the entire country, at times accompanied by storms, although the intensity will decrease the further north-east — except in the Pyrenees. 

In large areas of the west, south and centre, more than 40-60 litres per m/2 could fall. 

In the mountain ranges of north-western Andalusia – the Sierra Nevada, Grazalema, the Ronda mountains and the Sol and Guadalhorce areas – rainfall could exceed 80 litres.

The police are continuing their relentless search for Manuel F. A., the 64-year-old man suspected of carrying out the attack that shocked Oviedo, in Asturias, northern Spain, on Tuesday. The suspect planted an explosive device inside a backpack, killing one police officer and seriously injuring another, who remains hospitalized. Officers have been searching for more than 24 hours. Police sources say investigators have pursued several false leads and are conducting roadblocks with the assistance of the Spanish Civil Guard.

The fugitive has a criminal record containing around 10 previous offenses involving ordinary criminal activity, according to several police sources, including theft and minor assault. Some investigators are therefore puzzled by the severity of the incident, as Manuel F. A. did not appear to fit the profile of a particularly dangerous individual.

The events unfolded shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday when, following an alleged argument with a 17-year-old neighbor in a building on Rafael Urrusti Street in the Villafría neighborhood, he reportedly shot her five times. It has yet to be determined whether the projectiles were bullets fired from a firearm or some other type of ammunition. The young woman was injured but is recovering at the Central University Hospital of Asturias. Access to the building remains restricted, and several residents have been evacuated.

Police launched an operation in the Asturian capital to track down the fugitive after discovering a backpack containing a homemade explosive device in the entrance hall of the building in the Villafría neighborhood. As officers attempted to handle the device in order to deactivate it, a police sub-inspector from the force’s canine unit, named Juan José Rodríguez Rodríguez, who was nearing retirement, was killed instantly. A member of the TEDAX unit—the police’s elite squad specializing in the detection, neutralization, and deactivation of explosive devices—suffered serious injuries to one leg.

The operation launched in response, which involved setting up checkpoints at all exits from the Principality of Asturias and at the bus and train stations in Oviedo and Gijón, is temporary in nature, according to the police sources consulted. As time passes, they explain, the chances of finding the fugitive through such measures diminish.

The checkpoints remained in place throughout the night, although the search area has expanded beyond Oviedo, the sources said. “Searches are also being conducted in nearby towns,” one police source explained. Nearly 100 officers are involved in the operation. The provincial intelligence brigade, homicide squad, and judicial police are also participating in the investigation.

Asturias Chief of Police Jordi Moreno said in remarks to the media on Wednesday that the force’s absolute priority is to “arrest the person responsible for the shooting,” according to the news agency Europa Press. Regarding the condition of the injured TEDAX officer, who remains hospitalized, Moreno said he was “stable” after spending many hours in surgery, although his injuries are serious and there is a risk he could lose sight in one eye.

The partner of the main suspect was arrested on Tuesday morning. During questioning, she reportedly provided a location where the man might be found, but officers were unable to locate him there. Sources confirmed that she remains in custody.

The National Police are concerned that Manuel F. A. may be armed. Some sources say he is carrying both a handgun and a long gun, and they have not ruled out the possibility that he may also be carrying additional explosives. Officers are using drones to survey the area. According to several police sources, investigators have also received calls reporting possible sightings that they believe to be false from people who think they spotted the fugitive after his photograph was published in the media. Images show a thin, bald, clean-shaven man of athletic build and average height.

The explosion also killed Deny, a three-year-old German shepherd police dog who was working alongside the officer who died.

The Oviedo City Council has declared two days of mourning, and political parties in Asturias have decided to suspend their pre-election campaigning in the region. In a post on X, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also said he was “deeply shocked” by the officer’s death.

The Buenavista Police Headquarters in Oviedo will host an official funeral for the deceased sub-inspector on Thursday. The ceremony will be held behind closed doors. “You have to have tremendous strength of character, be a good person, and be a good police officer to show up for work today after experiencing what happened yesterday,” the chief of police in Asturias added in his remarks, praising the officers’ work.