 Ramba uchinyora ndima ino - Muna 2002 kudonha kwemafuta kwePrestige kwakaitika nemigumisiro mikuru yezvakatipoteredza kumhenderekedzo yegungwa reAtlantic yeSpain. Muna 2003 José María Aznar akatsigira purezidhendi weUnited States George W. Bush muHondo yeIraq, uye sangano rakasimba rinorwisana nehondo rakamuka munzanga yeSpain. Musi wa11 March 2004 boka remagandanga reIslam romunzvimbomo rakafuridzirwa neAl-Qaeda rakaita chiito chikuru zvikurusa chokutyisidzira munhau yeSpain apo vakauraya vanhu 191 ndokukakuvadza vamwe vanopfuura 1.800 nokuputika mabhomba pazvitima zvevanhu vanofamba nomugwagwamuMadrid. Kunyange zvazvo fungidziro dzapakuvamba dzakanangidzirwa paboka ramagandanga reBasque ETA, ufakazi hwakakurumidza kubuda hunoratidzira kubatanidzwa kwavaIslam. Nemhaka yekuswedera pedyo kwesarudzo dza2004, nyaya yebasa yakakurumidza kuva gakava rezvematongerwe enyika, nemapato makuru anokwikwidza PP nePSOE vachichinjana kupomerwa pamusoro pekubata kwechiitiko ichi. Sarudzo dzaMarch 14 dzakakundwa nePSOE, inotungamirirwa naJosé Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. 