Grande-Marlaska attributes the increase in crime in Spain to cybercrime

Given the 2% increase in crime, recorded in the latest balance sheet of the Ministry of the Interior published last December, Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska attributed this increase in crimes to cybercrime on Tuesday.

He did so during his appearance in the Congressional Interior Commission, while taking stock of his own six-year management at the head of that portfolio in the Pedro Sánchez governments.

In addition, the minister reduced the feeling of citizen insecurity by appealing to CIS statistics.

“You know that the progression of infractions is fundamentally based on an advance in cybercrime, mainly computer scams, which represent close to 17% of the crime recorded last year,” he said.

And he added: “The opinion of Spaniards about citizen insecurity in our country has improved considerably since Pedro Sánchez governed.

The CIS Barometer of January 2024 indicates citizen insecurity as the main problem that exists in Spain for only 3.9%, when in January 2019 it was for 6.2% of Spaniards,” he noted.

There are three crimes in Spain that keep crime rates on the rise: indeed cybercrimes (which grow by 21.5% in one year), crimes against sexual freedom (increase by 12%) and drug trafficking (9 %), according to that last balance sheet.

But the most numerous crimes continue to be attacks on property, which account for 44.4% of conventional crime and which increased by 3.6% in one year.

The minister praised the work of the agents of the State security forces and bodies and highlighted how highly valued they are socially: “Our police officers and our civil guards make up institutions that have an impeccable reputation in Spain, far above, by the way, than we politicians have,” he said.

Although Marlaska

assumed the increase in crime, he also warned that "the statistics for the third quarter reflect a slowdown in the upward trend with which the year began."

A strategic priority

According to Marlaska, the fight against cybercrime “is a strategic priority and is essential to safeguard our security in the digital age in which we find ourselves.”

The minister insisted that cybercrime “threatens the integrity of our institutions, the privacy of citizens, the indemnity of the most vulnerable (such as minors) and economic stability.”

And he provided information regarding a “criminal vector that is growing exponentially”: “We have gone from 714 agents in 2018 to 1,352 in 2022, 90% more.”

1,312 agents for 337,251 violations registered in the December 2023 balance.

“Today it is rare not to know a close person who has not suffered one or more: computer scams, telematic thefts, crimes against privacy,” the minister continued.

“We don't want society to feel helpless in front of them.

We refuse to allow our elders to continue being victims of

phishing

, to allow women to feel defenseless against heartless people who try to blackmail them online, or to allow citizens to think that their credit card is an easy access route for criminals to reach their savings,” he specified.

Marlaska recalled that in 2021 his ministry approved the first Strategic Plan against Cybercrime and a Communication Plan to raise public awareness.

Furthermore, he noted, “operational action plans have been prepared and are being implemented to combat cybercrime, both in the National Police and in the Civil Guard.”

And “an Operational Action Plan of the Cybersecurity Coordination Office has been developed

,

but also

Means will be established for the creation of secure channels between this office and essential operators and

The website of this Cybersecurity Coordination Office is going to be launched,” he announced.

That wasn't the only announcement.

The head of the Interior also made reference to a new VioGén-II System “for a more effective fight against sexist violence.”

As he explained, it is a tool that will facilitate comprehensive monitoring in cases of gender violence.

In total there are now 1,239 women murdered in Spain since there are records of sexist violence.

In 2023, there were 56 fatalities.

And, so far this year, a woman has been murdered and two minors have been victims of vicarious violence.

Although the opposition spokespersons called for “a certain self-criticism” and focused their questions and interventions on other issues that directly affect the department of Marlaska (immigration, the Catalan independence movement and the amnesty law, transfer of powers, police forces, recent controversial judicial resolutions , or possible changes in the Citizen Security Law...), the minister addressed the audience, pointing out from the beginning of his appearance that "it seems unbelievable that we have to remind some of you, constitutional rights are today protected by security institutions that generate admiration inside and outside the country,

and also in the rest of the world.”

And he added: Spain is a place where security is above all and we should be proud.

Today we are a safer and more resilient country.”

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