Spain is facing a paradox in its handling of Chinese tech firm Huawei, revealing tensions between national security, business, and geopolitics.
While Huawei has been removed from Spain’s critical 5G networks, the company still holds a €12.3 million contract to store judicial wiretaps. This includes sensitive data like the Villarejo recordings and evidence in the Koldo corruption case.
The contract runs through 2025 and uses Huawei’s OceanStor 6800 V5 servers, approved by Spain’s cybersecurity authority.
However, Huawei’s presence in Spain’s surveillance systems has caused unrest within the police and Civil Guard. Internal voices warn of a “strategic incongruity” — removing Huawei from 5G over security fears but trusting it with classified judicial data.
This stands in sharp contrast to EU allies. Germany, Portugal, the UK, and Sweden have imposed stricter rules or outright bans on Chinese tech in critical infrastructure.
Since 2020, Telefónica and other Spanish operators have fully removed Huawei from their 5G cores. Nokia and Ericsson now manage these sensitive networks, completing an unofficial ban on Huawei without a formal decree.
Still, Huawei remains deeply involved in Spain’s digital infrastructure — notably where legal interception is concerned.
The Spanish government has avoided labelling any country or company as “high risk”, despite pressure from Brussels and Washington.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez remains one of Huawei’s few EU defenders, citing economic diplomacy and Chinese investment in Spain.
In the end, Spain’s Huawei paradox mirrors broader global tensions — where security, economy, and foreign policy often pull in different directions.
