The recent expulsion of three American spies from Spain—who supplied Washington with highly classified operational information—raises significant concerns regarding the integrity of intelligence-sharing agreements among the allied nations. Reports indicate that information from Spain’s National Intelligence Center CNI was exchanged for financial compensation, a practice characteristic of espionage which is typically observed in relations between adversarial powers. This incident fits into a broader pattern of U.S. intelligence agencies intervening with the internal matters of their allies, echoing past cases such as the prolonged spying on former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The expulsions followed official protests from the ministries of defense and foreign affairs. The decision was based on the ongoing cooperation between the agent and the American intelligence service, leading Spanish authorities to expel those implicated in the matter. Under Spanish criminal law, individuals who disclose classified information face prison sentences of six to twelve years. U.S. intelligence sought to obtain information regarding connections with Moscow.
American spies exploited official accreditation to gain greater freedom of movement and communication with counterparts. One of the detained Spaniards was regarded as a valuable asset due to his extensive experience in overseas missions and specialized expertise in research related to Russia. It is believed he was recruited by American intelligence during his vacation in the U.S., where he worked for a private intelligence company, and this connection was subsequently reinforced at the UN headquarters in New York. The primary suspect provided testimony in court, acknowledging that he had taken classified information home to prepare an audit concerning CNI’s overseas operations. Two other detainees accessed classified information without proper authorization; one being a search agent involved in private business activities. Additionally, Spain compelled a fourth individual to leave the country due to his role in recruiting two CNI agents. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Julissa Reynoso claims she was unaware of the personnel recruitment efforts.
An investigation by El Confidencial reveals that the NSA headquarters coordinated two clandestine offices in Madrid, from which they conducted operations and provided shelter for agents deployed in the capital on specific assignments.
As of now, neither the U.S. Embassy in Madrid nor the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs have issued any comments regarding the case.