The Government of Spain is committed to preserving the Atalanta operation, in which it participates with the frigate Victoria, against piracy in the Indian Ocean, and to create a "new and specific" community mission to confront the attacks by the Houthi rebels against merchant ships in the Red Sea. An EU mission in which, according to sources from the Ministry of Defense, Spain will not participate.
The intention of the Sánchez Executive is that this operation has its "own scope, means and objectives" and is agreed upon "by the corresponding organizations of the European Union," according to the Ministry of Defense in a statement that makes it clear that Spain will not be involved. opposes the creation of this mission.
Defense has wanted to confront what it calls "a supposed veto by Spain" to an EU mission in the Red Sea, something that according to the ministry led by Margarita Robles "does not correspond in any way to reality." .
Defense maintains that Spain "is and will always be" a serious and reliable ally committed to the EU, NATO and the UN, as demonstrated by the 3,000 men and women of the Spanish Armed Forces who are currently on peace missions in different and complicated scenarios in the world, doing a great job of which we feel particularly proud.
On Monday, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that Spain would join eight other countries in an alliance to jointly address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. But the Government surprised shortly after by ensuring that it would not participate unilaterally, and would only do so within the framework of NATO and the EU.
However, at first Spain supported the cooperation of the EU's Operation Atalanta with the Guardian of Prosperity in an emergency Political and Security committee but the next day, at the Commission meeting, it blocked the decision by surprise. . Participation in this mission would require a vote in Congress, and several of the usual partners have already expressed their rejection.
This issue was addressed this Friday by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the US President, Joe Biden, in their telephone conversation.
