If I'm not mistaken that article doesn't mention the Spanish reaction. At any rate, the most recent news on the Spanish section of the line is this:

Adif finaliza las obras de plataforma en el tramo Mérida-Badajoz - ADIF

...Las obras de la línea de alta velocidad a su paso por Extremadura se dividen en 20 subtramos, de los que 10 se encuentran en fase de obras: Talayuela-Arroyo de Santa María, Navalmoral de la Mata-Casatejada, Grimaldo-Casas de Millán, Casas de Millán-Cañaveral, Cañaveral-Embalse de Alcántara, Embalse de Alcántara-Garrovillas, Garrovillas-Casar de Cáceres, Casar de Cáceres-Cáceres, Cáceres-Aldea del Cano y Aldea del Cano-Mérida. La longitud total de estos subtramos, incluyendo los dos ya finalizados, asciende a 136 km.

Which, if I decoded it right, says that earthworks are complete on the Mérida-Badajoz section, and on the entire part of the line in Extramadura province, work is on-going on ten more of the 20 sections, for a combined 136 km. Cancelling the line in Spain would be more 'serious' than the Portuguese cancellation because work on these in-construction sections would have to stop and contractors be left unpaid. I suspect austerity willcontinue to kick in here via the continued delay of the tendering of the construction of the rest of the sections (and of the tracks).

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}