Pedro Sánchez He is about to start his vacation. The President of the Government repeats destiny: Lanzarote. The Royal Residence of the Mareta, managed by the National Heritage Public Agency, is already ready to accommodate the chief of the Executive, which will arrive in the next few days. And this year, as the reason has known, the security deployment is maximum. The greatest of his stage as president.
The Reserve and Security Group (GRS) of the Civil Guard, an elite unit with bases in eight provinces, is mobilized to safeguard the integrity of the Later of La Moncloa. The sources consulted explain that the protocol that will protect the president has been reinforced to avoid any incident.
This group of the armed institute usually performs protection and security functions to high national and international authorities. For example, during political summits or visits from foreign leaders. Now, the president resorts to him to preserve his rest days. Group 1, based in Valdemoro (Madrid), has even been mobilized to address its institutional displacements and for vacations. “That implies a minimum of 40 people in the operation,” explains a source aware of the security of the presidential palace.
Security rings, according to the story of these sources, have been extended from 200 to 400 meters. Even “the option of cutting streets has already been established by system” if necessary in collaboration with local police units and the Civil Guard Traffic Unit.
Falcon, escorts, snipers …
When the president leaves Moncloa, a coordinated operation is displayed with all the State Security Forces (also the regional police). These devices include motorized escorts, armored vehicles, undercover personnel, snipers and a previous analysis of the land to abort possible vulnerabilities.
It all depends on the Security Department of the Government Presidency. Aerial displacements are usually performed in Falcon 900B or Super Puma helicopter, both equipped with advanced safety technology.
Already on the ground, Sánchez moves in a convoy composed of several vehicles, including an official high -end armored car (usually an Audi A8 Security or similar), to the bulletproof, explosives and chemical attacks. Every measure is little to ensure that the president does not relive a nightmare. If there is a day that the socialist leader will always remember is November 3, 2024.
That day he moved to Paiporta (Valencia) to visit, together with the Kings, those affected by the Dana that swept the Levante and segated the life of more than 200 people in one of the worst floods that are remembered. The tension, at that time, was maximum. The citizens were outraged by the late reaction of the authorities, which they blamed directly from the tragedy and pointed out for their incompetence. In the end, violence unleashed.
The outbreak plunged Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Sánchez himself and the president of the Valencian Community, Carlos Mazón (PP), in Chaos. A shout of screams, mud and insults was primed with them.
Paiporta left a mark on Pedro Sánchez
The president’s security team did not think twice when he saw his integrity in danger. The escort team, as the situation was out of control, activated the security protocol and transferred it to the advanced command post, from where it blamed the episode to organizations of extreme right.
That was precisely the plot line of the PSOE and the Government after the episode that began to investigate the Torrent Court (Valencia). The sources consulted explain that Sánchez was very pissed off that day and asked that, when they investigated the facts of Paiporta, a specialized terrorism unit for having been violated as long as the presidency of the government holds. By the way, the research discarded the government thesis that the extreme right was behind the incidents.
The kings were also beaten and, despite the requests of their security team to leave the area, both decided to stay to listen to citizens and try to comfort and listen to them. Mazón also stayed and accompanied the head of the State. That visit was not exempt from friction between Presidency and Zarzuela.
Moncloa considered that it was not timely at that time, precisely, due to the high level of street timing. But the king was aware that he should be close to citizens after the most important natural catastrophe of the last decades.
In any case, that the President of the Government does not have the best image of Spanish politics is no secret to vocals. The last barometer of the Sociological Research Center (CIS) confirms it. He is the political leader, after Santiago Abascal, who place more citizens at the lowest valuation end.
A president who “polariza”
Moncloa’s hard core admits that the president of the “polariza” government. And his team has no choice but to use that apparent weakness in his favor. The analysis made by the sources consulted in the Government is that, if Sanchez awakens the visceral hatred of the ultras, that can mobilize the progressives. This trend of the president’s public projection, however, is not new. Already before the general elections of 23-J, the communication and strategy team of the socialist leader decided to cut his connection campaign with citizens for fear of whistles and boos that could harm his image before the polls were opened.
Sánchez, in truth, has endured on numerous occasions the anger of a good part of the Spaniards. That is why Moncloa decided that it was no longer a good idea to continue wearing the president with the human qualities that make a person like. In silver: in a suit of empathy and no ideology. The thesis of some experts in political communication is that citizens reach the electoral supply with demand for emotions that must be covered.
That is the reason why it lies upwards a profile that touches the heart; Something that the president has almost impossible after seven years of wear. It was the Minister for digital transformation and public function, Óscar López, during his stage at the head of the Presidency Cabinet, who led to all kinds of acts conveniently recorded: visits to the cinema, the theater, games of Petanca, basketball and bicycle walks. But that is already history. Sanchez is locked up. Security protects you.
By the way, the president will not be just this year on the island. The arrival of the Minister of Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska and the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, is also expected.
This coincidence is not accidental: the island has established itself as a usual meeting point for members of the Government during the summer period. Outside the official agenda, in other summers the president has been seen walking through the north of the island, in the artisanal market of Haría, a place full of life and culture, which is celebrated every Saturday morning since its inauguration in 2001.
An elite unit with more than three decades
The GRS were created in 1988 for the Civil Guard to have an elite unit that was responsible for managing emergency situations such as catastrophes, strikes or manifestations. Although it also has the protection of high personalities of the State and international leaders.
This unit acts throughout the territory. There are about 1,800 agents deployed strategically throughout Spain, although its bases are distributed by seven provinces (Madrid, Seville, Valencia, Barcelona, Zaragoza, León, Pontevedra) and in the Canary Islands.
Its site responds to the fact that these are areas susceptible to house more altercations and for being nodes of proximity to other regions of the country. Agents undergo rigorous training that includes, among other practices, training techniques, protection of people, mass control and operational intervention.