Minister Torres closes ranks with Marlaska after the clash over the CNI with Robles in the warning of the Ceuta crisis: "No communication"

The performance of the National Intelligence Center (CNI) during the migratory crisis in Ceuta continues to generate discrepancies within the Government. After this Tuesday the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, and the Minister of Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, offered different versions about the information they had before the massive entry of people into Spanish territory, the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, has backed this Wednesday the thesis defended by Interior.

In her appearance, Robles highlighted the work carried out by the Armed Forces, the State Security Forces and the CNI and affirmed that the intelligence services had fulfilled in Ceuta the work that was “demanded” of them, in addition to sharing and analyzing their information with the rest of the involved organizations.

Hours later, Marlaska denied that there was a CNI report that “foresaw” the crisis that subsequently occurred in the autonomous city. The Minister of Interior maintained that, had they received a communication anticipating a massive arrival of the dimensions that were finally registered, the necessary measures would have been taken “by common sense”. In that context, he described as “something extraordinary, exceptional and evidently difficult to imagine” that there had been a warning of those characteristics.

This Wednesday, Torres has sided with Marlaska. In an interview on 'Cadena SER', the minister assured that the CNI reports daily on the situation, but has differentiated these usual reports from a specific alert that anticipated the arrival of tens of thousands of people. "The situation is reported every day. There had been an increase of about 1,000 people in seven days, but in no case was there any communication that we were going to have an arrival of tens of thousands of people in Ceuta," he explained.

"If we had known that an arrival of tens of thousands of people was going to occur, automatically the action should have been different," Torres clarified. On the other hand, the minister has provided the number of unaccompanied minors who have been identified in Ceuta so far: 1,410.

Torres assumes sole command

The main novelty of the device is the designation of the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, as Functional Authority to promote and manage in a coordinated manner the actions derived from the declaration. The royal decree attributes to him the capacity to direct and coordinate the resources contemplated in the norm and establish the priorities for their use.

Among his functions will also be to set common objectives for the administrations and organizations involved, promote measures to preserve the essential services of Ceuta and integrate the different dimensions of the crisis: humanitarian, welfare, border, security, administrative and foreign cooperation.

Torres must also coordinate the logistical support that may be necessary in centers or facilities located in other parts of Spain, as well as possible international support. He will also have to keep the National Security Council permanently informed about the evolution of the situation and may promote the necessary actions for the return of irregular migrants, always in accordance with the legal system.

However, the royal decree makes it clear that the guidelines of the Functional Authority “will not alter the ownership of the powers” of the intervening authorities nor modify the organic relations or the legally established chains of command.