Isabel Barreiro, wife of Spain's Minister of the Exterior José Manuel García-Margallo, had no problems finding work after she left her position as a director for Juan José Güermes in the Madrid healthcare advisory board.
Just several months after leaving her contingent role working for the pharmaceutical lab GlaxoSmithKline. Similar to Güemes, Barreiro has not done anything illegal. In her case, after her appointment was not publicized as is required by regional government law, the non-compete law that prohibits employees returning to work at a firm within the same sector in less than two years was not violated. Her appointment is not illegal, but it wasn't ethical and indicates that something is wrong with Spanish legislature -- in the contracts that companies write for public roles and in the examples that people who are in charge of their policies.
Stretching the law to its limits is a dangerous game resulting in the public's discontent with the politicians that represent them, because they think that despite its public front, politics and public sector work is a means to securing an easy and remunerative future in the private sector. It's hard to understand how those who are supposedly defending the public-private healthcare management strategy, because it is the most efficient and suitable means of guaranteeing quality healthcare for the public, are causing doubts about whether the system can work. Isabel Barreiro should follow Güemes and step down from her role at GSK.
Because as the wife of the Minister of the Exterior, she has a responsibility of promoting Spain's image abroad increases the importance of setting a good example in her role.
