The total solar eclipse this Wednesday, August 12, has not only mobilized millions of citizens across Spain. It has also provoked reactions within the Government, with several ministers following the phenomenon from different points in the country and highlighting its scientific, educational, and social dimension.
Diana Morant, Milagros Tolón, and Fernando Grande-Marlaska have been the members of the Executive who have publicly spoken so far at the time of the publication of this article about a day marked by the expectation of an astronomical phenomenon that had not been observed under these conditions for more than a century.
Morant: "The universe is so imposing that it leaves you fascinated"
The Minister of Science, Innovation, and Universities, Diana Morant, has followed the eclipse from the Yebes Observatory in Guadalajara, one of the main official observation points. After the moment of totality, Morant acknowledged that the experience had exceeded her expectations.
"I have a smile on my face that I think will last me for days, it has exceeded my expectations, it was not as I imagined. The universe is so imposing that it leaves you fascinated", she stated. The minister also highlighted the universal nature of the phenomenon and the fact that any citizen could enjoy it regardless of their economic situation.
"In the end, to the Cirque du Soleil can go who can, to the final of a World Cup can go who can, to the opening of the Olympics can go who can, but today, no matter what your pocket is like, you could see the eclipse," she pointed out.
Morant also insisted on the scientific potential of the event and assured that "a lot of science will come from this little moment". As she explained, researchers will study not only the astronomical aspects of the eclipse but also the behavior of animals, nature, and human reactions to a phenomenon of these characteristics.
Tolón hopes the eclipse will awaken new scientific vocations
The Minister of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports, Milagros Tolón, has observed the eclipse from the town of Consuegra in Toledo.
Tolón has particularly focused on the educational dimension of the event and has assured that the eclipse will allow "to awaken vocations and promote science and astronomy among the youngest".
The minister has thus claimed the "educational potential" of the astronomical phenomenon and its ability to bring scientific disciplines such as astronomy closer to children and young people. In the event held in Consuegra, the mayor of the municipality, María Luisa Rodríguez García, and other representatives of the Municipal Corporation have also participated.
Marlaska: "Quite a bit of calm" during the day
The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has also followed the phenomenon from the Yebes Observatory and has focused his assessment on the development of the day from the point of view of security.
According to the minister, the device deployed during the eclipse has worked "reasonably well, without major mismatches", although "small incidents" have occurred in different parts of the country. Marlaska has explained that those problems have been resolved on the go and has summarized the situation with a message of "quite a bit of calm".
The head of the Interior has requested, however, to maintain caution until the end of the day and to especially respect the areas where access restrictions had been established. "We have the means. If they are exclusion zones, it is because we want to guarantee the safety of all, we want to guarantee the environment, which is also science," he has indicated.
He has also called for patience regarding the mobility problems that could arise after the eclipse due to the concentration of vehicles in the main observation points.