The Diplomat
The Association of Spanish Diplomats (ADE) issued a statement yesterday calling for honorary consuls not to be confused with career diplomats.
The ADE stresses this difference, after several media, including several Spanish ones, published the results of an investigation carried out by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and Republic on the illegal activities, abuses and irregularities allegedly committed by 551 honorary consuls in different countries.
The ADE communiqué states that many of the articles contained “serious misconceptions”, confusing the figure of the honorary consul with that of the consul and the career diplomat, and points out in particular that some Spanish newspapers even ran the headline: “Some 30 Spanish diplomats investigated for money laundering or bribery”.
The ADE, which groups together 70 percent of the members of the Spanish diplomatic career, reminds us that “unlike professional career consuls, honorary consuls are not diplomatic officials, but private individuals who carry out certain consular tasks on a voluntary basis, combining this work with their private activities and jobs”.
“It is, therefore, totally incorrect to state that there are ’30 Spanish diplomats under investigation’, as none of the persons mentioned is a Spanish diplomatic official”, says the communiqué.
Apart from the above, the ADE highlights “the irreproachable work carried out by the vast majority of honorary consuls; among them the 516 who, without receiving any remuneration in return, provide consular assistance and protect Spanish citizens in many cities around the world”.
