In one of his most direct interventions since leaving the head of the Defence Staff, General Fernando Alejandre has focused on the strategic vulnerability of the Canary Islands. In an interview granted on March 29, 2026, to ABC, the former Chief of Defence has broken his silence to state unequivocally that Morocco constitutes the main concern for Spanish sovereignty, labeling it as a ‘certain and clear threat’ that looms over the archipelago and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Alejandre, who now speaks with the freedom his recent retirement grants him, expresses deep concern about the military axis being consolidated between Rabat and the United States. According to the general, this rapprochement is not a recent phenomenon, but one that should raise all alarms on the islands. The fear lies in the potential displacement of the missile shield or logistical support currently provided by the Rota base to the southern flank of the Alliance if Spain continues to strain diplomatic ties with Washington due to its anti-militarist positions in conflicts such as that of Iran. One of the most critical points of the former Chief of Defence’s analysis centers on the fragility of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty —the principle of collective defense of NATO— in the event of Moroccan aggression towards non-peninsular Spanish territory. Alejandre acknowledges having ‘serious doubts’ that allies would respond positively to an attack on the Canary Islands or the African enclaves. ‘We have missed several opportunities to include Ceuta and Melilla in the Treaty,’ he laments, emphasizing that the lack of a solid defense culture in Spain leaves the islands in a state of ‘vulnerability’ that Morocco understands well. The general does not hold back in criticizing the management of Pedro Sánchez’s Government, which he describes as ‘simple’ and contradictory. For Alejandre, the slogan ‘No to war’ clashes directly with the sending of frigates on international missions such as that to Cyprus. ‘I am repulsed when I hear about defensive frigates; my colleagues know that at a given moment they will have to open fire, and that will be the end of the story,’ he concludes. This ‘denaturalization’ of military missions, in his view, weakens Spain’s image before its international partners and, by extension, its deterrence capacity against the territorial ambitions of southern neighbors. In a Canarian context, where military presence is constant not only in exercises but also in support of migration crises or volcanic events, Alejandre sends a warning message: the prestige of the Armed Forces cannot be based solely on humanitarian work or UME duties. The general demands the restoration of the ‘three Rs’: respect for combat missions, social recognition, and decent pay for soldiers, who currently earn little more than the minimum guaranteed income. Without these pillars, he concludes, the defense of Spain and its most sensitive territories, such as the Canary Islands, is subordinated to political voluntarism that Morocco, with its rising military expenditure, continues to test.
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