The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has led a coordination meeting to establish a broad security device that guarantees the normal development of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, scheduled from June 6 to June 12, 2026. This special plan was presented to all institutions and organizations involved, highlighting the importance of collaboration between different entities to ensure the safety of attendees and the pontiff himself.
Unlike previous papal visits, such as those of Saint John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Leo XIV’s visit will cover several autonomous communities: Madrid, Catalonia, and the Canary Islands, in addition to involving four provinces, two of which are islands. This new approach has made it necessary to develop a specific security plan, which is detailed in instruction 2/2026 from the Secretary of State for Security.
The direction of this plan includes identifying potential risks and creating operational strategies by the Security Forces and Corps. Grande-Marlaska emphasized in the meeting that the success of the device depends on the joint effort of all present organizations. Comprehensive security during the visit will be guaranteed through the coordination of different self-protection and emergency plans, thus ensuring that all scheduled events proceed without incidents and with total normality.
