Spanish Govt Official Fired for Disclosing Ceuta Invasion Numbers
by Christian K. Caruzo
Spain’s socialist government fired a staff member for having published a timely national security alert during last week’s massive migrant invasion of Ceuta while it occurred, local outlets reported on Monday.
The alert, which was reportedly deleted moments after it was published on Thursday, warned Spaniards that over 49,000 illegal migrants had so far stormed into Ceuta.
According to Spanish outlets, the unnamed female staff member formed part of the Spanish Presidency’s Department of National Security (DSN) since 2018, and was tasked with issuing the department’s breaking news and informative alerts on both DSN’s own website and on social media. DSN is currently led by Spanish General Loreto Gutiérrez Hurtado.
El Español reports that, on Thursday, the staff member released an official announcement at DSN’s website alerting that over 49,000 illegal migrants had so far breached into Ceuta — describing the then-developing invasion as the “worst migrant crisis registered in the city since May 2021.” The alert was reportedly taken down from the website moments later.
Sources reportedly claimed to El Español that the information disclosed through the alert “was not mean to be public, as it was intended solely for internal use.” As such, the staff member was fired from her position at the DSN on Friday, August 1 — the same day that she had begun her scheduled vacation period. The staffer reportedly learned of her dismissal over a phone call.
“Despite the government’s lack of foresight, the only person dismissed was the civil servant. And this, even though the data she released was accurate,” El Español wrote.
According to El Español, DSN has not updated some of the channels used by the department to disclose institutional or emergency information since July 31.