Podcast Summary: Carne Cruda – NACIONAL II: LA RUTA DEL EXILIO. CAP 1. Tienes que irte

Host: La República Independiente
Release Date: December 23, 2025
Main Voices: Lola (Victoria Luengo), Doha (Duha Al Saidi)
Podcast Theme: Human stories of exile from the Spanish Civil War and Palestine, connecting two wars, two generations, and their shared struggle and loss.

Episode Overview

This episode is the first chapter of the five-part series "Nacional 2: La Ruta del Exilio," blending the exiles of a Spanish Republican woman, Lola, in 1939, and a young Palestinian, Doha, highlighting the universality and pain of forced displacement. Released on the 50th anniversary of Franco’s death and with Gaza’s ongoing tragedy, the podcast interweaves personal testimonies to explore loss, hope, memory, and resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Exile as a Universal, Recurrent Tragedy

• Historical scale of exodus: The host contextualizes exile by citing various humanitarian disasters—Spanish Civil War, WWII, the partition of India/Pakistan, Syria, Ukraine, Sudan, and particularly, the ongoing crisis in Palestine—showing the persistent and growing scale of forced displacement.
  [03:39–04:37]

• Exile as perpetual goodbye: Both Lola and Doha reflect on leaving behind loved ones, homes, and familiar streets, illuminating exile as a continuous farewell, not only from physical spaces but from fragments of their own identity.
  [15:33 Lola, 20:12 Doha]

2. Personal Narratives: Two Voices, Two Wars

• Lola’s narrative (Spain, 1939):

  • Describes the chaotic, emotional, and physical trauma of fleeing Barcelona as Franco's forces approach, the anticipation, and the despair of loss.
    "El exilio comienza cuando tienes que abandonar la casa. Cuando tienes que dejar atrás todo lo que amas y te marchas sin saber a dónde vas..."
    [01:50 Lola]
  • Remembers community resilience (classes during bombings, solidarity in the face of defeat), but also the chilling finality as neighbors burn evidence of resistance.
    [06:21, 12:08–13:13]

• Doha’s narrative (Gaza, 2015):

  • Mirrors Lola’s story decades later in Palestine, experiencing similar dread, the abrupt decision to leave, and the shattering realization that exile is likely permanent.
    "Recuerdo el día en el que, al llegar a casa, me nos vamos."
    [04:58 Doha]
  • She grapples with the impossibility of packing her life, negotiating what “essential” means under such circumstances.
    "Olvídate de tu ropa, olvídate de tus cosas, solamente lleva lo importante..."
    [16:28 Doha]

3. The Moment of Departure

• Deciding to leave: Moments when the protagonists are told they must go, and the finality of those words:
  • "Tienes que irte, Lola."
    [09:51 Lola]
  • "Nos vamos."
    [08:54 Doha]
• The packing of precious mementos—photos, a poetry book, a stuffed animal named "Palestina"—become silent witnesses to the rupture and hope for remembrance.
  • "Una bufanda larguísima que me había estado haciendo desde primavera."
    [16:02 Lola]
  • "Una muñeca, un peluche blanco y morado con el que duermo. Todavía no puedo dormir sin ello. Se llama Palestina."
    [16:28 Doha]

4. The Trauma of Goodbye

• Painful goodbyes: Farewells to family, friends, lovers; the impossibility of closure, and the lingering hope that maybe, somehow, the parting is temporary.
  • "Creo que ella sabía que no era así."
    [14:34 Doha]
  • "El exilio es un adiós que no se acaba."
    [15:33 Lola, 20:12 Doha]

5. Intergenerational Echoes & Companionship

• Lola, now older, tells Doha her story, offering solidarity and the strength drawn from sharing experience—“Because I’ve been through what you’re going through, and I want to walk with you on the path ahead.”

  • "Por eso quiero contarte mi historia y que tú me cuentes la tuya. Porque yo he pasado por lo que tú estás pasando."
    [20:00 Lola]

• Comparison of ages, eras, and experiences, revealing timelessness and sameness in suffering and hope.
  [20:54–21:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the beginning of exile:

  “El exilio comienza cuando tienes que abandonar la casa. Cuando tienes que dejar atrás todo lo que amas y te marchas sin saber si volverás o no volverás.”
  (Lola, 01:50)

• On the illusion of safety:

  “Y en cuanto cruzamos los pirineos, nos dimos cuenta de que estábamos equivocados.”
  (Narrator/Host, 02:36)

• On forced departures:

  “Mi madre preparaba la comida... Aquí también hace esos platos, pero no saben igual que ahí. No sé, no es lo mismo, es otra cosa.”
  (Doha, 07:46)

• On last keepsakes:

  “Me acuerdo de que una compañera, al despedirse, me dijo que quizá ese era el último día que nos veíamos... Porque me aferraba a esa sensación de que todo seguía como siempre.”
  (Lola, 06:21)

• On the day of leaving:

  “Mi madre me ‘olvídate de tu ropa, olvídate de tus cosas, solamente lleva lo importante.’ Era como olvidarte de tu vida."
  (Doha, 16:28)

• On the perpetual state of exile:

  "El exilio es un adiós que no se acaba."
  (Lola, 15:33; Doha, 20:12)

• Connecting ages and experiences:

  “Cuando estalló la guerra en 1936, yo tenía 20 años.”
  “Cuando nací, en 2002, el genocidio siempre había estado ahí.”
  “Yo cumplí los 23 en Francia.”
  “Es la edad que tengo yo hoy.”
  (Lola & Doha, 20:54–21:17)

Short, Poignant Exchanges

• “¿Qué decían las notas de los cuadernos que te escribieron tus amigas?”
  “No lo sé. Diez años después aún no he sido capaz de leerlas.”
  (Lola & Doha, 21:33–21:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• The set-up: Christmas and the nature of exile – [00:31–01:18]
• Lola’s first reflections on exile – [01:50–03:34]
• Historical context and statistics of global displacement – [03:39–04:37]
• The protagonists’ families and upbringings – [05:06–06:07]
• Daily life under siege/bombardment – [06:21–08:25]
• The decisive moment: 'Nos vamos/Tienes que irte' – [08:54–09:51]
• Burning mementos, preparing to leave – [12:08–13:13]
• Reflections on what to take, meaningful objects – [16:02–17:09]
• Last goodbyes, emotional departures – [17:44–19:18]
• Solidarity across generations: 'Ahora me tienes a mí' – [20:21]
• Intergenerational timeline comparisons – [20:54–21:17]
• The unread notebooks—memory, trauma, and time – [21:33–21:43]

Tone & Language

• The tone is evocative, raw, intimate—full of pain, nostalgia, and quiet resilience. Both Lola and Doha narrate in first person, often directly addressing the listener or each other, drawing parallels between their lived experiences separated by decades and continents.
• Language is poetic, visual, and emotional, mixing everyday detail with moments of reflection and historical commentary.

Closing Reflection

Chapter 1 of "La Ruta del Exilio" sets the stage for a deeply personal series about the pain and universality of exile, weaving together past and present, Spain and Palestine, offering listeners not only history but lived humanity and solidarity. The episode ends with an invitation to listen, remember, and share—keeping these stories alive.