Charlie Smith
THE army has been drafted into major Spanish cities as the country’s fight against coronavirus ramps up.
Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Leon and Zaragoza have all seen troops from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) deployed.
Army personnel have also been dispatched to clean up swathes of the capital, which health officials fear may have been infected by large crowds.
It comes after an agreement this morning to create a new single Command, headed by General Miguel Angel Villarroya, according to El Pais.
The military man will act as the ‘Chief of Defense Staff’, taking charge of the UME, the General Health Inspectorate and the armed forces.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles chaired the meeting, which was also attended by the Secretary of State, Angel Olivares.
Meanwhile, the military pharmacy has been ordered to increase the production of ‘hydroalcoholic disinfectant solution’ and certain medication, the Ministry of Defence said.
It comes as military personnel have been granted the authority to issue orders to the public after Spain entered a state of emergency on Friday.
The military will have the power to control the streets and limit freedom of movement, in a boost to other public servants, including the police.
