Spain Faces Scrutiny Over Huawei Wiretap Deal

Spain faces international scrutiny after awarding Huawei a €12.3 million contract to store judicial wiretaps, with the government asserting that the company only handles non-classified data within a highly secure, isolated, and audited system. U.S. lawmakers, including the Senate Intelligence Committee, and European officials have warned that Huawei's legal obligations to Chinese authorities could present espionage risks. The U.S. has called for a review of intelligence sharing with Spain, concerned that the deal could compromise sensitive NATO and allied information. Spain maintains that the contract complies with national cybersecurity standards and that all data remains within its borders. Critics argue the decision prioritizes economic ties with China over security and diverges from broader European efforts to restrict Huawei in sensitive infrastructure. Experts caution that legal and software vulnerabilities may persist, underscoring the ongoing tension between economic cooperation and alliance security.