Spain’s Vox demands National Security chief explain hantavirus cruise ship handling

The far‑right Vox party has asked Loreto Gutiérrez Hurtado, director of the National Security Department of the Spanish Presidency, to appear before the mixed congressional‑senate commission. Vox wants her to detail the risk the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius poses to national security and to disclose any prior meetings of the National Security Council on the issue.

The MV Hondius, carrying passengers infected with hantavirus, was directed to dock at the Granadilla port in Tenerife after the central government approved its arrival. Vox is seeking answers about whether the government required the ship’s Maritime Health Declaration, what sanitary inspections and disinfection measures were carried out, and if any information was concealed about positive hantavirus cases aboard.

The request follows accusations by the Canary Islands president that the central government deliberately hid the presence of infected passengers.