Orihuela Council has made a formal appeal to the Ministry of the Interior for a permanent Civil Guard post and increased security personnel on the coast, following a high-level Local Security Council meeting held on Wednesday morning at the Town Hall. The meeting, chaired by Mayor Pepe Vegara, included key figures such as Councilor for Citizen Security Mónica Pastor and Councilor for Civil Protection and Emergencies Víctor Valverde.
Also present were senior representatives from the Government Subdelegation and various law enforcement bodies, including the Civil Guard, National Police, Regional Police, and the Orihuela Local Police. Despite the absence of Councillor Mestre, a thorough review of coastal security was conducted, with authorities acknowledging the absence of serious crime, yet highlighting the unsustainable workload facing Orihuela Local Police officers during the high tourist season.
In response, the Council agreed to demand urgent intervention from the national government, specifically, the establishment of a permanent Civil Guard base in Orihuela Costa, along with a significant increase in staffing levels to secure this strategic and densely populated area.
To facilitate the request, the City Council committed to providing land and possibly constructing the facility itself, as an incentive to fast-track the deployment. “Orihuela Costa urgently needs more Civil Guard resources,” stated Mayor Vegara. “The City Council will do everything in its power to ensure this request is addressed.”
In addition to general security concerns, a rise in gender-based violence cases on the coast was flagged. The Council confirmed that its Specialized Gender Violence Unit will implement new protocols by September, working closely with State and local police forces.
Under a revised plan, the Civil Guard will manage all high, extreme, and medium-risk gender violence cases, while Orihuela Local Police will handle 50% of low-risk cases in both the coast and inland districts.
Councilor Mónica Pastor stated, “We cannot look the other way. We will strengthen protocols and guarantee maximum protection for victims, in coordination with all forces.”
ABSENCE FROM TALKS OF KEY FIGURE
However, one key figure was notably absent from the meeting: Councilor for the Coast, Manuel Mestre. Given that the entire focus of the meeting centred on security in Orihuela Costa, his absence has raised eyebrows. Mestre, a former Lieutenant General, arguably possesses more experience in security and operational logistics than anyone else in the municipal government.
It is difficult to ignore the irony: a former high-ranking military officer with decades of security expertise was not at the table, while the meeting was led by a mayor whose pre-political background was in managing an obscure (ITV) vehicle inspection station, and a Citizen Security Councilor whose previous role was as a civil servant in contract administration.
With so much at stake for Orihuela Costa’s security infrastructure, the decision to exclude, or the failure to involve, Mestre in these discussions raises serious questions about how seriously the coastal zone is being prioritized at the political level.
