Skip to content
The Bubble
Madrid

đŸ“± PM SĂĄnchez's Private WhatsApps Leaked

Plus: A sacred corpse gets a rare airing, and Madrid is bigger than ever.

Madrid | Issue #102

đŸ‡Ș🇾 The Bubble is Spain's #1 English-language newsletter. We offer paid subscriptions and we’d be thrilled to have your support!

Become a paid or free subscriber

Is the call coming from inside the house?

đŸ“± PM SĂĄnchez’s Dirty WhatsApp Laundry Gets Aired

So embarrassing. You know when you tell a “friend” in confidence that you don’t like a mutual buddy, and they snitch? Yeah. That’s kinda how Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez’s week has gone—x10.

  • Leakomatic. This week saw El Mundo publish a leak of WhatsApp messages between SĂĄnchez and his former Transport Minister JosĂ© Luis Ábalos, the guy facing a major corruption probe about public contract greasing (and enchufe-ing girlfriends into government jobs). Now, Spain’s government is notoriously leaky, but a leaked text bomb from the PM’s phone? đŸ“± That’s yuge!

Where’d the texts come from? That we don’t really know. You see, a lot of people had access to them. El PeriĂłdico de Cataluña reported that Ábalos had stored hundreds of text message exchanges with SĂĄnchez on USB drives, planning to use them in a memoir. During a move, his advisor Koldo GarcĂ­a ended up with them. Then, during a police search of GarcĂ­a’s own home in the Caso Koldo case (so many corruption cases!), the Guardia Civil found two USBs in a box labeled ‘personal.’

  • Blame game. How did they get from the drives to El Mundo? Economy Minister MarĂ­a JesĂșs Montero side-eyed the Guardia Civil, suggesting that the fault for the leak lay with "those who had the duty of custody". But
more on that in a minute.

First, let’s get to the juicy stuff. That is, the messages. Let’s just say that Sánchez didn’t always show the greatest respect for his ministers, especially the ones from far-left Podemos. Time for
The Disses!

  • Pablo Iglesias is such a
 The far left former deputy PM comes in for the sharpest abuse from SĂĄnchez. After Iglesias released a rival video just as PSOE held a presser, SĂĄnchez messaged Ábalos, “How clumsy he is; his problem isn’t evil, it’s stupidity." Or when Iglesias made the surprise (and bad) decision to quit the government to run against Madrid presi Isabel DĂ­az Ayuso, SĂĄnchez mocked him, saying, “It’s a very ‘hold my beer’ move.” Another time, he was more succinct: “An abuser. Blowhard.”

  • Margarita Robles
 SĂĄnchez mocked Defense Minister Robles after she was insufficiently confrontational with Ayuso, calling her a pĂĄjara—a cunning, unscrupulous type—and joking she slept in her uniform. Whoops!

And then there’s his relationship with Ábalos. SĂĄnchez was tight with Ábalos—their chats were all jajaja and đŸ€Š. That is, until July 10, 2021, when SĂĄnchez dumped him. When asked for an explanation, SĂĄnchez simply said, "We've traveled a long journey together, and this journey is over." When Ábalos insisted, the PM told him "I can't give you any reason.” Ábalos’s next statement turned out to be prescient: "people are going to interpret that I have something shady going on".

  • Four months later
 SĂĄnchez restarted WhatsApp contact after a right-leaning news site (The Objective) published a story saying Ábalos had been fired for hosting “private parties with prostitutes” during the pandemic lockdown (we wrote about this recently). SĂĄnchez wrote: “I'm writing to express my solidarity with you in light of the slander we're unfortunately seeing in the media.”

  • BFFs again! SĂĄnchez later resurrected Ábalos’s political career, putting him up for an MP seat he won in the 23-J elections in 2023. A week later, a nostalgic SĂĄnchez wrote to Ábalos, “The truth is, I've often missed working with you. I've always greatly valued your political judgment. Also your friendship."

So this is awkward. Now that Ábalos is under investigation for corruption (not to mention the parties, the hookers, the girlfriends’ jobs) Sánchez’s old WhatsApps aren’t aging well. So what are Spain’s political parties saying?

  • For the center-right PP, the leaked chats are “very clarifying” and show, in the words of party boss Alberto Nuñez FeijĂło, SĂĄnchez’s “true measure.” They argue the messages prove the PM “knew everything and covered it up” in the Koldo corruption scandal. The PP also mocked SĂĄnchez’s insults to his ministers, asking if it’s sustainable to stay in government when your boss calls you a “pĂĄjara.”

  • Far right Vox took the chance to pile on, with Pepa MillĂĄn using the leaks to claim that SĂĄnchez treats his colleagues with the same disdain he shows “to millions of Spaniards he doesn’t even know.” For Vox, the messages confirm SĂĄnchez’s “arrogance” behind closed doors.

  • Far leftish Podemos, meanwhile, read the chats as proof of SĂĄnchez’s “discomfort” with their presence in the coalition. Ione Belarra said the messages confirm how much SĂĄnchez resisted their progressive agenda, including policies like the eviction ban, and how fierce the battles inside the cabinet really were.

But really, who leaked them? Ábalos originally toyed with people by refusing to deny leaking the messages: "I'd rather they keep wondering who did it." Then yesterday, he basically gave Spain whiplash when he admitted on La Sexta that he’d “consented” to the leaking of the messages from 2023 (where he and Mr Handsome express their mutual love), which he’d given to someone linked to his legal defense.

  • But there must be two leakers⁉ Ábalos however denied that he’d leaked the 2021 messages (where SĂĄnchez disses Iglesias et al.).

So, what the hell? The plot thickens. đŸ€·

More news below. 👇👇

🔔 Check out our sponsor—and an offer for Bubble readers

Iberian Wine Tours has a special offer for Bubble readers on one of its excellent and exclusive wine adventures—The Golden River Tour from Madrid to Porto in May 2026. (For objective, third-party praise, check out the gushing commentary and 147/151 5 ⭐ reviews on Feefo.)

Would you like to come along? Bubble readers have the chance to get in on this very intimate tour with $100 off with code BUBBLE100.

Learn More and Book Now

💬 Five things to discuss at dinner parties this week

1.đŸ«  Frank Cuesta’s wild meltdown

You probably don’t know who Frank Cuesta is, and that’s OK. But you may have seen his face all over the news this week at the center of a very public meltdown involving leaked audios, arrests and public confessions. So what the hell is going on?

Frank who? TV host and YouTuber Frank Cuesta could be considered Spain’s answer to famed Australian conservationist Steve Irwin.

  • Frank Cuesta (aka Frank de la Jungla or Frank of the Jungle) shot to fame in the early 2010s with his wildlife shows on Spanish TV, mixing animal encounters with a loud, cocky attitude that made him a fan favorite. His show was so big that he actually won awards!

  • He then reinvented himself as a YouTuber and animal rights activist, broadcasting his adventures and his crusades against animal trafficking from his animal sanctuary in Thailand. He also said he was battling cancer (❗), thus gaining the support and sympathy of many fans.

  • While he once expressed his support for Vox (and later regretted it), his sanctuary was visited by all sorts of figures, including Madrid regional president Isabel DĂ­az Ayuso this January.

Fall from grace. But Frank’s jungle kingdom started to unravel a few months ago—in spectacular fashion.

  • Thai police arrested him in February for allegedly keeping protected animals (nine otters and a rare red-tailed boa) without proper permits. The police says they got the tip via an anonymous email. Cuesta spent two days in jail and was released on bail. He later accused his ex-wife, Yuyee, and his former ally, known online as Chi Wildlife, of plotting against him.

Things get worse. The situation took a darker turn when Chi Wildlife leaked some damning audio clips in which Cuesta could be heard casually discussing buying animals from traffickers, using tasers on wildlife, and even poisoning stray cats and dogs who sneaked into his sanctuary.

  • Cuesta even jokes in one jaw-dropping clip about wanting “cheap animals with three legs or no head”. Yikes.

  • But, but, but
 Cuesta posted a video online crying and denying all accusations, saying the audios were “taken out of context”, arguing people were “out to destroy him” and that he “couldn’t take it anymore”.

Much, much worse. Then this week, things got really weird. Cuesta dropped a bizarre video on his YouTube channel in which he admitted in a monotone, almost robotic tone that everything about his life was a lie.

  • No, no and no. He said he never had cancer, never rescued animals, and was just playing a character driven by “mythomania and ego.” He even confessed that the animals at his sanctuary were all purchased, not saved.

  • Was he serious? Was this performance art? Was it an AI deepfake? His fans’ confusion only deepened when, a few hours later, Cuesta appeared in a live stream saying the previous confession video was part of a blackmail scheme, claiming Chi Wildlife forced him to read a script on camera to stop leaking private conversations.

  • Cuesta says the two have been locked in a toxic feud since Chi left the sanctuary to start his own project, which Cuesta now admits sparked jealousy and paranoia on his part.

We still don’t know what’s true. Yesterday Cuesta posted on X the alleged messages blackmailing him. For now, the only thing that’s clear is that Cuesta’s reputation is in free fall and no one knows what to believe.

2. ✈ Madrid’s Barajas Airport is the city’s main shelter

Madrid’s Barajas Airport has become home—or at least a place to sleep—for hundreds, a situation that burst onto the scene for most of the world on Monday, when the Catholic charity La Mesa de la Hospitalidad presented a report on and census of the people there.

Not new, but growing. Gaspar GarcĂ­a, who for more than six years has handed out food and hygiene kits with the group Bokatas, told El Mundo that in the past, the homeless were less noticeable because they slept on the benches and then left. But since the airport removed plugs and benches, closed some bathrooms, and cranked up the A/C at night, people have brought more sleeping gear and clothing with them.

Now blowing up. The census comes after months of increasing complaints from airport staff and infighting from politicians over who’s responsible. And the homeless aren’t exactly happy about the situation either. First, the employees with Alternativa Sindical Aena/Enaire (ASAE), the major airport employees union:

  • Bedbugs are grody. ASAE told El Español that the situation inside the airport was “unsustainable”. Employees complain about an infestation of bed bugs and other insects đŸȘłin the T4 baggage check-in area, presumably originating in the overnighters’ bedding. With bites and everything. Yikes.

  • ‘City without law.’ They also complain of fights, robberies and drug use and say their workplace has become a “city without law” (in one example, on April 22 two homeless airport residents pulled a knife and a screwdriver on one another). On March 20, another was found dead (with no signs of violence). ASAE is demanding an “urgent eviction” of the people in this “inhumane” situation.

  • Bronx or Zombieland? ASAE secretary Antonio Llarena says that Barajas has become “a kind of Bronx": "Aena's passenger, user, and customer support workers and our doctors and nurses are not safe." El Mundo refers to it as ‘zombieland’.

The homeless are not pleased either. For obvious reasons, most would prefer not to be homeless. Making the situation worse, the lack of social services at the airport means that those with drug or mental health issues don’t get the care they need.

  • Crazy people. “I’m sick of sleeping on the floor,” Teresa Andrade, a 54-year-old Spanish woman of Ecuadorian origin who has been sleeping at the airport since losing her elder care job, tells El Pais. “There are more crazy people here than in a psychiatric hospital.”

You’d think you could solve this. With a coordinated effort between the airport and local and national government, you could surely
 Oh wait, this is Spain 2025! So everyone is saying “your problem, not mine” and doing nothing. Political hot-potato time! 👏👏👏

  • The national government. Aena, the majority government-owned airport operator, says it’s not responsible and demands that the city handle the problem. "If Madrid City Council's Social Services are overwhelmed, this is a management problem by Madrid City Council," said Aena President Maurici Lucena. Note: PSOE socialists run the national government, the opposition PP runs the city and region. Oh, and Lucena is a former socialist politician.

  • The city. The city’s delegate for social policy, JosĂ© FernĂĄndez, says the national strategy to combat homelessness, approved in 2023, declares the central government has authority "and even literally states in that strategy that they assume the highest level of responsibility." And city reps say the five national ministries with jurisdiction have "refused to participate" in coordinating a response and without their involvement, "adequate social assistance cannot be provided."

  • The region. Madrid president Isabel DĂ­az Ayuso pointed the finger at Aena: "These are their facilities, and therefore, they are the ones responsible; they are the ones who have to take action."

Phew. So good to know that no one is to blame here!

Update:

  • On Wednesday night, Aena announced that it would “intensify access controls” during off-peak hours, effectively shutting the airport to anyone without a boarding pass, their companions, or airport staff.

  • While not an outright eviction, the move will make it nearly impossible for the dozens of unhoused people who have been sleeping at the airport to continue doing so. The plan includes closing all but one access door per terminal overnight and stepping up security checks—including at the metro station exits.

  • Aena has yet to confirm exactly when the new restrictions will begin, but the draft proposal suggested locking down from 11 PM to 6 AM.

3. đŸ‘„ Madrid is bigger than ever—thank you, immigrants!

Madrid is booming. Where have we heard that? Oh, right, here. Where, like, we said it’s recently been dubbed the world’s most popular city for the world’s super-duper rich. But it’s not just for the top 0.02% anymore. It’s booming all over.

Immigrants welcome. Immigrants drove the growth (no surprise if you’ve walked around lately). Roughly 136,000 people moved to Madrid from abroad in 2024; net immigrant population: +48,000. Spaniards? Up just 19,400.

  • Using simple words. Still confused? "It is fundamentally due to foreign migratory movements,” said Madrid Deputy Mayor Inma Sanz. 👌

  • And from where? Venezuela, Colombia, PerĂș, Ecuador and Argentina accounted for almost half of the new Madrileños. Which explains all the new ceviche, choripan, and arepas joints
.

  • Overall. 70% of Madrileños were born in Spain; 30% abroad.

But not all good news (for some). JD Vance, Elon Musk & the natalist crew won’t love this: births aren’t driving growth. Immigration is. 😩

  • Coming and going. In 2025, 26,213 babies were born in Madrid. 558 more than the year before and the highest since 2020. Deaths? 26,296. Net result: -83.

  • ‘Vegetative growth.’ “Vegetative growth” (or natural population growth) was basically zero, said Sanz.

  • At least it’s getting better? As the deputy mayor points out, “We are finally seeing a trend where the number of births is growing while deaths are stagnant.” 🎉

We leave you with
Madrid, city of the woman ♀. It’s 53% female, 47% male.

4.☎ Spain declares war on spam calls: This time, they mean it

Those of us with Spanish phone numbers have almost inevitably received reams of annoying spam calls. But now it looks like their days may be numbered.đŸ„ł

If you thought these were banned in Spain, you’re not wrong. In fact, they are technically illegal since 2023. So
 what gives?

  • Companies have become experts in legal loopholes. The most common trick? Hiding consent deep inside cookie pop-ups or in the fine print of website terms and conditions.

  • Then again, many call centers just ignore the law altogether and keep dialing random numbers. Phone manufacturers have tried to help by adding spam call detectors to your phone, but those aren’t foolproof either.

Now, the central government is stepping up with what they claim is the definitive plan to make spam calls a thing of the past (for real this time, guys).

The Ministry has also proposed a new amendment to the SAC Law that would void any contracts made through unsolicited phone calls .

  • Renew the love. The amendment also says companies must renew user consent for receiving commercial calls every two years, to prevent them from relying on old or ambiguous authorizations to continue bothering you.

We’re looking at you, Endesa!

5.☠ ‘You kids want to see a dead body?’ The corpse of Saint Teresa of Ávila is back on display after 110 years

The last time the mummified remains of Santa Teresa de JesĂșs (also known as Teresa of Ávila) were on display was 111 years ago. Little did the Catholic Church know that the next time that her sepulcher was opened, Saint Teresa would become a meme queen and turn her posthumous home (Alba de TormĂ©s, a small town in the province of Salamanca) into a social media hotspot.

  • The Order of the Discalced Carmelitas (yes, a thing) has organized the unveiling of Saint Teresa’s body for 14 days, calling it a “spiritual gift”. The body is being publicly displayed in the Basilica of the Annunciation of Our Lady of Carmen.

  • The saint’s body is often referred to as “incorrupt” (as in, it never rotted) which turned the Basilica into a site of pilgrimage and, now, a magnet for social media reactions.

  • Why is this a big deal? Because the body has only been publicly shown three times before—in 1582 (when she died), in 1760 (when the remains were transferred to an urn) and in 1914 (though this just lasted a few hours and was in private). If this was on your bucket list—and it undoubtedly was!—now is your chance.

Huge deal. Saint Teresa was one of the most influential mystics of the Catholic Church and an icon of Spain’s Golden Age literature.

  • Born in Ávila in 1515, Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada was a Carmelite nun who revolutionized monastic life, challenged the norms of her time, and became the first woman to be named Doctor of the Church (probably heretical back then but good for her).

  • The official story says she was not embalmed and that the nuns of the then-Convent of the Annunciation were unhappy with the rush to bury her, so they asked to see the body, which they were allowed to do nine months later.

  • According to the French historian Joseph PĂ©rez’s book Teresa of Ávila and the Spain of Her Time, once the coffin was opened, the body was found to be intact and emitting a “pleasant fragrance”. This was considered a miracle and the rest is history.

But not everyone is flocking to Alba de Tormes in awe. Social media has been quick to react with skepticism and humor, questioning the supposed “incorruptibility” of her body.

Want to go look at the remains? You have until May 25.

🔔 A fun game for you Eurovision fans

It’s Eurovision this weekend, and you’ve likely been invited to a viewing party by your Spanish friends. If so, we suggest you bring this drinking game with you so you can have fun and learn about the many (many) things we can guarantee you’ll hear them say. This way, you get to drink and learn! (Drink responsibly, though).

If you’re not following us on Instagram yet, you’re missing out. We’re posting exclusive content with our collaborators across Spain, breaking news updates, and pop culture coverage. Click on the post above and come hang with us!

Follow us on Instagram

Read the original on Substack