• Direct.Latest news about the coronavirus crisis
  • The map: the advance of the coronavirus in Spain
  • Defense.'Operación Balmis': this was the largest military deployment in Spain of democracy

Until now, the plots of the State Security Forces and the Armed Forces have been on parallel roads. Each set their lines of action and the shocks or mismatches were minimal. But since March 31 they have begun to merge and that has caused major tensions.

Discrepancies between the interior and defense ministries to address joint patrol efforts between the military and civil guards have led to situations of tension in several government delegations.

From the Civil Guard they interpret that the military are acting unilaterally and that, despite the fact that the command of citizen security is in the hands of the Ministry of the Interior, which is the one who should direct the teams, they "operate freely" and have taken steps not yet agreed.

From Defense insist that there is no problem and that little by little these joint actions are being launched in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior. The truth is that neither of the two departments is providing precise data on these actions.

However, there is tension. "A lot of tension", sources from the Civil Guard say, assuring that the military began to walk alone. "That the military is very much theirs." Last Tuesday, the Chief of the Defense General Staff ( Jemad ), General Miguel Ángel Villarroya , said that these joint patrols with the Civil Guard had been launched in 87 Spanish towns in 13 provinces.

"Joint patrols"

This Wednesday morning, when asked about these new tasks by the military, the Jemad barely gave two strokes and spoke of actions in the Balearic Islands, on the border with Portugal and in the southern area, in Melilla . The closest thing so far to the Civil Guard has been the substitution of the agents of this body in at least three nuclear power plants.

Confusion has been present in this matter from the first moment. The same Tuesday, a few hours after Jemad announced the joint patrols, the Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, clarified that the distribution was still being studied and had not been launched. The next day, the information about these patrols went silent. Neither Defense nor Interior provided data.

From the Civil Guard, silence was officially chosen. But voices have already emerged pointing to the disconnection of the operation. Sources from the Amado Institute did not hide their discomfort with the deployment of the Army military.

"Why haven't joint patrols been started?" In theory, these patrols are aimed at meeting the requests of the State Security Forces. And these have made a list of needs. And that list was going to apply as of Tuesday-March 31, according to sources from the Civil Guard.

Power struggle between ministries

And so? "Maybe it is that there are objectives that the military does not like, that they prefer to do their work for free and not be next to civil guards next door."

"Yes, they are patrolling, but they are alone. They justify it as reconnaissance of the area and as strategic itineraries," they add. These sources ask themselves: "If the Government transmits that everything is calm and that the incidents are minimal, why send the military to patrol the streets?"

These sources believe that there has also been a power struggle between ministries that the Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, has clearly emerged victorious. They point out that there has been a lot of tension with some government delegations and that there have been "problems" in places like Melilla or Almería .

These sources consider that the forms have not been taken care of and have gone out to patrol alone, before those responsible agreed on a joint plan.

Jemad insisted that military participation will be made at the request of the Security Forces. But from the Civil Guard it is criticized that they have begun their journey in these tasks "on their own."

At the moment, they are only authorized to carry out security work in critical infrastructure facilities and at borders.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Civil Guard
  • Fernando Grande-Marlaska
  • Margaret Robles
  • Coronavirus
  • Covid 19

Interior Government distributes to the security forces 150,000 approved masks

Politics Quim Torra warns that "it will continue taking the measures" that it considers against the coronavirus

CoronavirusMargarita Robles denounces that Quim Torra "lies" and is "disloyal" with the citizens of Catalonia