I have no knowledge of Spanish, but I think your comment is spot on. I think the author of this article is wrong that things like simplicity, well-placed verbs, and economy are unique to English. The students from other language cultures who claim otherwise likely have a very distorted view of their own language.
Good verbs are like a universal principle of good language, as is the one thought per sentence rule. These rules might need to be tweaked - perhaps, for example, simple clauses can be strung together into a single sentence as dependent and independent clauses more easily in one particular language, but the universal part is then the simple clause with a good verb. These universal principles of good writing are like the foundation of the house - they have to be in place - , and everything else, like nice adjectives, proverbs, etc. are ornamental. The author's students are confusing the ornaments of their languages for the foundation.
Good verbs are like a universal principle of good language, as is the one thought per sentence rule. These rules might need to be tweaked - perhaps, for example, simple clauses can be strung together into a single sentence as dependent and independent clauses more easily in one particular language, but the universal part is then the simple clause with a good verb. These universal principles of good writing are like the foundation of the house - they have to be in place - , and everything else, like nice adjectives, proverbs, etc. are ornamental. The author's students are confusing the ornaments of their languages for the foundation.