The Spanish government under Pedro Sánchez has refused to disclose information regarding military flights used to transport irregular migrants from the Canary Islands to the mainland. A request via the Transparency Portal, seeking detailed information on flights in 2023, 2024, and 2025, as well as passenger numbers, was denied by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, led by Elma Saiz.
The official justification is that revealing this information “could affect the development of logistical operations” and that the individuals being transported are “vulnerable groups.” This refusal raises questions about transparency and the handling of the migration crisis.
Secrecy and Justification: What’s Behind It?
The request was submitted to the Ministry of Defense on January 20 and forwarded to the Secretary of State for Migration on March 4. However, processing only began on July 1, indicating a hesitant stance from the government. Amapola Blasco, Director General for Humanitarian Aid and the International Protection Reception System, justified the denial of access to information by citing the protection of logistical procedures and vulnerable groups. This argument, from a critical perspective, could also serve to conceal uncomfortable details of migration policy from the public.
Redistribution of Minors: A Complex Puzzle
In parallel with the flight data secrecy, it was revealed that the government plans to redistribute approximately 3,000 unaccompanied minor immigrants from the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla to other regions of Spain. Most of these minors are to be housed in Andalusia, the Community of Madrid, and the Community of Valencia. It is noteworthy that the Basque Country and Catalonia are exempt from this redistribution, leading to speculation about political agreements or specific capacities.
A total of 3,975 transfers from the archipelago are planned, of which approximately 850 individuals are expected to be accommodated by the state network for international protection as asylum seekers, based on a Supreme Court order from March.
Regional Distribution of Minors
The planned intake numbers for minors show an uneven distribution:
- Andalusia: 677 youths
- Madrid: 647 youths
- Valencia: 571 youths
- Castile-La Mancha: 320 youths
- Galicia: 317 youths
- Aragon: 251 youths
- La Rioja: 205 youths
- Castile and León: 197 youths
- Extremadura: 159 youths
- Cantabria: 156 youths
- Asturias: 144 youths
- Murcia Region: 133 youths
- Navarre: 118 youths
- Balearic Islands: 49 youths
These figures highlight the burden and responsibility borne by the individual autonomous communities.
Military Flights in Action: Confirmed Cases and Controversies
It was already known in January that the government had used military aircraft from the Aerospace Army for the transfer of irregular migrants from the Canary Islands to the mainland. On December 31 and January 9, two A400M aircraft were deployed at the request of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, under Elma Saiz, in response to the migration crisis at that time.
The Aerospace Army emphasized its constant readiness: “The Aerospace Army, its personnel, and its material are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to act with maximum efficiency when needed,” said Lieutenant General Francisco Braco.
These deployments led to controversy on social media after photos were circulated showing the arrival of migrants at the Zaragoza military base on a flight from Gran Canaria. However, there were also discrepancies in tracking the flights. While no direct records of the military flights mentioned on December 31 were found, a website showed the route of an official A-310 model on January 9, which flew from Torrejón de Ardoz to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and then transported migrants back to the mainland. This suggests possible lack of transparency in documenting these sensitive operations.
The Spanish government’s secrecy regarding military flights transporting migrants raises serious questions about accountability and the treatment of vulnerable individuals. It remains to be seen what further information will come to light in this matter and how the Spanish public will react.
