Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has greenlighted the dispatch of 24 tons of "ammunition and projectiles" to the Cuban regime, along with 1.5 tons of "war weapons" to Morocco, as reported by sources from the Ministry of Defense and cited by Ok Diario. These transactions were executed while the Spanish government continued its embargo on Israel and declined to raise defense spending to 5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a demand from NATO allies.
Official records reveal that the export to Cuba, conducted in July, was valued at 81,600 euros, whereas the deal with Morocco was close to 63,000 euros. Although these deals were facilitated by a company, their approval rested with the Spanish government. "The company applies for a license for the export, but it must be approved by the State Secretariat or the Council of Ministers," clarified the sources.
This isn't the first instance of the socialist administration authorizing sales of this nature to the Cuban regime. Previously, Spain had shipped over 50,000 euros worth of police repression weapons, used by Cuban security forces during anti-government protests, as noted by these sources.
Cuba's Continued Defense Purchases from Spain
The Cuban government allocated a total of 2,239,494 euros from 2018 to mid-2019 for acquiring defense materials from Spain, aimed at equipping the island's police. Purchases included light firearms, such as smoothbore cannons, automatic weapons, and rifles. A significant portion of the investment was directed toward Dual-Use Products and Technology, encompassing sensitive materials like chemicals, "microorganisms," and "toxins," in addition to protective gear and detection equipment like suits, gloves, footwear, and dosimeters.
According to Spain's Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism’s 2020 statistics, Cuban authorities resumed arms purchases from the Iberian nation during the pandemic, amounting to 1,202,500 euros—a figure comparable to countries with higher GDPs like Poland or Slovenia. Most of this expenditure was for "energetic materials and related substances" (Category 8), which include explosives, propellants, pyrotechnic products, and fuels. Additionally, the regime spent 2,500 euros on light weapons (Category 1), covering pistols, rifles, revolvers, machine guns, and accessories like silencers and optical sights.
Spain's Rejection of Riot Control Material Sale to Cuba
However, by the end of 2022, it was revealed that Spain, through the Interministerial Board Regulating Foreign Trade in Defense and Dual-Use Material (Jimddu), had denied the sale of riot control equipment to Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior (Minint). The rejected operation, valued at 350,000 euros, included 2,500 tear gas cartridges and 40 light, sound, and smoke devices. The decision was based on the "respect for human rights in the final destination country" and the inadequate "respect for International Humanitarian Law by that country," in line with Criterion 2 of the EU Common Position on arms exports, as outlined in the Jimddu's report for the first half of 2022.
Ammunition and Defense Deals: Spain and Cuba
Why did Spain sell ammunition to Cuba?
The ammunition sale to Cuba was part of a broader defense export strategy, although it faced criticism due to Cuba's political regime and the use of such materials against anti-government protests.
What was the value of the defense materials sold to Cuba?
The export to Cuba conducted in July was valued at 81,600 euros, with additional purchases over previous years totaling over 2 million euros.
How did Spain justify its denial of riot control material to Cuba?
Spain denied the sale based on concerns for human rights and International Humanitarian Law, aligning with the EU Common Position on arms exports.