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Diari de Catalunya

Extensive Security Deployment for Papal Visit to Spain

The Ministry of Interior will mobilize nearly 11,000 national police and over 2,200 civil guards to ensure the pontiff's safety.

Generic image of a microphone on a podium, symbolizing a meeting or press conference.
IA

Generic image of a microphone on a podium, symbolizing a meeting or press conference.

The Ministry of Interior has designed an unprecedented security plan for Pope Leo XIV's visit to Spain, which will include the mobilization of nearly 13,000 officers from the National Police and Civil Guard.

This Monday, the head of the Interior portfolio, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, announced the initial forecasts for this special operation. The authorities' primary concern is the terrorist threat, as the country maintains a reinforced level 4 alert. Risks from "radicalism" and potential mobilizations by social groups seeking to make their voices heard are also being considered.
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"The Pope's visit is a special and priority event, but it will not detract from other events, and the normal life of citizens."

Fernando Grande-Marlaska · Minister of Interior
The critical phase of the security plan will begin on June 6, with the pontiff's arrival, and will extend until June 12. The coordination of this operation was discussed at a high-level meeting held in El Pardo (Madrid), with the participation of the Secretary of State for Security, Aina Calvo, and the general directors of the Police and Civil Guard, among other institutional representatives. Major Josep Lluís Trapero, director of the Mossos d'Esquadra, participated via videoconference from Barcelona.
The deployment will focus on three main locations for the papal stay: Madrid (from June 5 to 9), Barcelona (from June 9 to 11), and the Canary Islands (starting June 11). In addition to national forces, local police are expected to participate, and the number of Catalan police mobilized by the Generalitat during the Pope's passage through Catalonia will be determined. Coordination centers (CECOR) will be established in Madrid, Barcelona, Las Palmas, and Santa Cruz to direct the various police groups.
The papal visit implies a massive influx of faithful, requiring additional effort in security preparation and execution. This challenge is heightened by its coincidence with other events, such as Bad Bunny's concerts in Madrid. The Ministry of Interior has highlighted Spain's experience in managing large events, recalling previous papal visits.
Interior sources have confirmed that contacts have already begun with the Pope's personal security team, although many details regarding Leo XIV's agenda still need to be finalized, such as movements between Barcelona and the Montserrat monastery or precise movements in the Canary Islands. This security operation is compared to the NATO summit held in Madrid in 2022 due to its complexity and scale.

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