Tensions have escalated in recent days between… United States and Spain. The espionage issue is the cause of the quarrel. What is it exactly? Madrid expelled two American spies who managed to infiltrate the heart of Spanish intelligence. According to Iberian media, the two spies were recruited inside Center for National Intelligence (CNI).
According to local media, the United States invited these two spies to steal top-secret documents. This confidential data was then transferred to Washington. The Spanish authorities discovered the ruse and the two spies, Manu Militari, were expelled. This is not the first time that the United States has been targeted for spying on allied countries.
A few years ago, the site Wikileaks It was revealed that US intelligence services had spied on French presidents since 2004. Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande They were wiretapped from Washington. This shows the effectiveness of American intelligence. Spain, in turn, has noticed the reach of American intelligence.
The Spanish authorities did not like this issue at all, but they preferred to manage it without making much noise. diverse Spanish media The United States reported that two American agents stationed at the US Embassy in Madrid were involved in a spy recruitment operation for the Center for National Intelligence (CNI). Media reports indicate that the number of people involved may be much larger.
Until now, the first American authorities have not commented on the matter. However, identical sources confirm that the Spanish Minister of Defense, Margarita RoblesHe summoned the US ambassador to ask for clarifications. Iberian diplomacy also took measures to express its displeasure to Washington. Will this issue cloud relations between the United States and Spain?
We note that the Spanish authorities, despite their discontent, preferred to play the card of appreciation. Spain is one of the United States’ most loyal allies Europe. Within the framework of NATO, Madrid and the United States work closely together. When the wiretapping scandal broke out in France, Elysee He also handled matters discreetly. Right now, we don’t know exactly what types of documents the spies stole and sent to the United States. But given its secretive nature, it is easy to imagine that Madrid was embarrassed.
