Report by the Centre Delàs and Novact: “The spiral of violence in Fortress Spain. Weapons for war and militarism to protect the borders”

The “spiral of violence of Fortress Spain: Weapons for war and militarism to protect borders” aims to understand, analyse and study the mechanisms that lead to the militarisation of Spain’s Southern Border, which generate the structural, cultural and direct violence faced by people who are being forcibly displaced, either by fleeing from wars and armed conflicts or by the dynamics of global economic inequality. On the other hand, it analyses the model of walling of the Spanish State that has served to develop, in the following years, the so-called “Fortress Europe” in which Spain plays a relevant role. Not only because it is one of the main walls of the European fortress erected against people who have been forced in one way or another to emigrate, but also because it has become one of the main exporters of arms and military material of all kinds.

This report analyses the co-responsibility of the Spanish State for the sale of arms to countries and regions of the world that are in a situation of conflict or special vulnerability. It draws attention to how these facts contribute to deepening the context of insecurity for entire populations that are forced to be displaced or flee as refugees. Meanwhile, the response that the Spanish State is using is the militarization of the borders and the limitation to those flows of people who are fleeing towards Spanish and European territory. Far from being an isolated case, Spain is an example when it comes to developing and consolidating the so-called Fortress Europe, which has led other European Union states to reproduce measures to control the movement and militarisation of borders previously carried out in Spanish territory.

Authors: Jordi Calvo Rufanges and Ainhoa Ruiz Benedicto (Delàs Centre for Peace Studies)

Editorial review: Felip Daza, Laia Vila, Lina M. González and Sofia González (Novact)

You can download the full report in Spanish here.

Related publications

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Informe 66: “La Banca Armada y su corresponsabilidad en el genocidio en Gaza. La financiación de las empresas que fabrican las armas usadas en las masacres contra la población palestina”

Report 65: “Peace and Disarmament in Europe: For shared détente, peace and security”

Informe 64: “Business as usual. Analysis of the Spanish arms trade in 2022-23 and the case for an arms embargo on Israel”

Last publications

Informe 67: Securitització a les ciutats. Estudi de quatre casos i anàlisi des d’una perspectiva de pau, drets i seguretat humana

Informe 66: “La Banca Armada y su corresponsabilidad en el genocidio en Gaza. La financiación de las empresas que fabrican las armas usadas en las masacres contra la población palestina”

Report 65: “Peace and Disarmament in Europe: For shared détente, peace and security”

Issue Briefing from Transnational Institute, Stop Wapenhandel and Tipping Point North South, copublished by Centre Delàs d’Estudis per la Pau: “Climate on the Crosshairs: “The planetary impact of NATO’s spending increases”