Podcast Summary: Las 8 de Hoy por Hoy

Podcast: Hoy por Hoy – SER Podcast
Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Àngels Barceló, with contributions from field reporters and expert guests

Overview

This episode centers on a major healthcare scandal in Madrid, where leaked audios reveal that Pablo Gallard, CEO of Ribera Salud—the private company managing a public hospital—instructed his staff to inflate waiting lists and prioritize profitable treatments, thereby putting profit above patient care. The episode also covers political fallout, labor disputes within the PSOE, rising concerns over housing and rental markets in Spain, violence against women, international news (specifically U.S.–Venezuela tensions and the sentencing related to Matthew Perry’s death), and new social media restrictions for minors in Australia.

1. Madrid Hospital Scandal: Profit Over Patients

Key Points

• Exposé: El País revealed audios where Pablo Gallard directs hospital management to boost waiting lists and reject less profitable treatments at the public Hospital de Torrejón, managed privately by Ribera Salud.
• Immediate Fallout: Ribera Salud removed Gallard from day-to-day management and announced an internal audit, though skepticism remains about the efficacy of these measures ([00:12]–[02:00]).
• Whistleblower Retaliation: Four executives who raised concerns about these practices through internal channels were dismissed promptly after reporting—raising alarms about internal governance and suppression of dissent ([01:02]–[01:26]).
  • Quote:

    "La entonces gerente presentó una queja el día 22 de octubre. Ribera Salud la echó dos días después y el día 26 de octubre tres directivos asistenciales denunciaron también lo mismo. Les echaron al día siguiente." — Reporter ([02:59])

• Political Response:
  • Comunidad de Madrid (lead by Ayuso) canceled a scheduled meeting with Gallard after his dismissal. They are now seeking talks with Ribera Salud’s top leadership ([02:05]).
  • Official stance: No regulatory breaches found so far, and authorities emphasize the “freedom of healthcare choice” for Madrid’s residents ([02:30]).
  • The opposition, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, condemns the incident as emblematic of an unhealthy privatization model:
    • Quote:

      "Este es el modelo del PP, hacer de la salud un negocio y de la enfermedad una oportunidad para enriquecerse." — Pedro Sánchez ([05:50])

Notable Segment

• Audio Leak: Gallard calls for reversing past efforts to reduce waiting lists, explicitly prioritizing business interests ([01:31]).

  • Quote:

    "Desandemos el camino..." — Gallard on the leaked audio ([01:43])

• Financial Ties:

  • The hospital is used as a case study for Madrid’s model, combining private management with public funding. The episode highlights substantial public payouts—€6.8 million settlement in 2015—benefiting Ribera Salud ([05:08]).

2. PSOE Labor Scandal: Internal Crisis

Key Points

• Misogynistic Behavior in Moncloa: Allegations of degrading conduct by Paco Salazar, former advisor to Sánchez, were internally reported by female staff but later disappeared from the party’s complaint channels, triggering internal outrage ([06:16]–[06:54]).
• Impact on Party Credibility:
  • Growing unrest in PSOE over inadequate response to the scandal and past incidents (misogynistic comments by Ábalos and Coldo) undermines the party’s feminist commitment ([06:57]).
    • Quote:

      "La gestión ha sido un desastre y además esto se suma al impacto que ya habían causado los comentarios machistas." — Host/Analyst ([06:57])

• Calls for Action: Some local branches urge the case be sent to the Fiscalía, but the party claims hands are tied as Salazar is no longer a member ([07:09]).

3. Violence Against Women in Spain

Key Points

• Recent Murders: Three femicides in three days leave five children orphaned:
  • Torrejón: Woman stabbed 20 times ([08:00])
  • Alicante: Similar case ([08:00])
  • Torrijos, Toledo: Woman murdered in front of her children by ex-partner ([08:00])

4. Political Maneuvering & Junts Negotiations

Key Points

• PSOE-JuntsxCatalunya (Junts) Relations:
  • Despite Sánchez’s outreach, Junts remains firm in its obstructive stance; the upcoming legislative session will test coalition durability ([08:37]).
• Multirepeat Crime Law:
  • Junts pushes tougher penalties for repeat offenders—a demand opposed by Sumar and most of the left, creating a precarious balancing act for PSOE ([09:32]).
    • Quote:

      "Toda la izquierda, incluida Sumar, rechaza el texto que propone Junts." — Josué Coello ([09:32])

5. Housing Crisis and Rental Tension

Key Points

• Imminent Rental Crisis:
  • 630,000+ rental contracts are due to expire next year, affecting over 1.6 million people; rents are up 30% in five years ([10:52]).
    • Quote:

      "En estos pisos viven más de un millón 600 mil personas que tendrán que renovar su contrato o buscar otro piso el año que viene." — Jordi Fábrega ([10:55])

• Debate on Intervention:
  • Pressure from Sumar to introduce automatic contract renewals and rent controls, facing resistance from PSOE ([11:50]).
• Government Response:
  • A new state-owned housing company is being launched to manage 40,000 units for affordable rental ([12:26]–[12:38]).
• Canary Islands Tension:
  • Jessica de León, Canary Islands’ Tourism Minister, reports threats and attacks over the controversial short-term rental law ([12:55–13:24]).
    • Quote:

      "He sufrido ataques en mi domicilio particular... ha sido duro." — Jessica de León ([13:10])

6. International Highlights

Key Points

• U.S.–Venezuela Tensions:
  • Trump reiterates openness to ground attacks ("ataques en tierra") on Venezuela. Maduro, in a call with Trump, advocates for peace and describes the dialogue as "cordial" ([14:07]–[14:51]).
• Matthew Perry Case:
  • Dr. Salvador Plasencia sentenced to 30 months for supplying Perry with ketamine, linked to the actor’s fatal overdose ([15:01]–[15:37]).
    • Quote:

      "En su declaración ha subrayado que su ketamina no le mató, pero que él, junto a otros médicos, contribuyeron a que Matthew Perry alimentara su adicción." — Sara Canals ([15:37])

• Australia Social Media Law:
  • All accounts of minors under 16 to be deleted from social networks by law ([16:13]).

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• [01:02] Reporter:

  "...estaban rechazando pacientes para que la empresa pudiera ganar más dinero."

• [02:59] Reporter:

  "...cuatro directivos denunciaron en un canal ético interno estas instrucciones de rechazar pacientes para aumentar beneficios... Les echaron al día siguiente."

• [05:50] Main Presenter/Anchor on Pedro Sánchez’s social media post:

  "Este es el modelo del PP, hacer de la salud un negocio y de la enfermedad una oportunidad para enriquecerse."

• [10:55] Jordi Fábrega:

  "En estos pisos viven más de un millón 600 mil personas que tendrán que renovar su contrato o buscar otro piso el año que viene, en un mercado cada vez más tensionado."

• [13:10] Jessica de León:

  "He sufrido ataques en mi domicilio particular... ha sido duro."

• [15:37] Sara Canals:

  "En su declaración ha subrayado que su ketamina no le mató, pero que él, junto a otros médicos, contribuyeron a que Matthew Perry alimentara su adicción."

Key Timestamps

• 00:12–05:50: Hospital Torrejón scandal and privatization debate
• 06:16–07:57: PSOE misogyny scandal and internal unrest
• 08:00–08:28: Recent femicides in Spain
• 08:37–10:27: Political balancing on Junts and legislative demands
• 10:52–12:38: Rental market crisis and state response
• 12:55–13:56: Threats over Canary Islands’ vacation rental law
• 14:07–14:51: U.S.–Venezuela tensions and Trump–Maduro call
• 15:01–15:37: Matthew Perry case sentencing
• 16:13: Australia’s new under-16 social media law

Tone & Language

The discussion is incisive, informed, and at times urgent—matching the gravity of the healthcare and violence scandals, as well as the tense political climate. Direct, at times critical, especially regarding privatizations and party management failures.

This summary provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the day’s top Spanish news stories and their broader social and political implications, even if they missed the original broadcast.