This is the ambassador who fell asleep during an Albares speech and may be dismissed

Minister José Manuel Albares opened a conclave on January 13 with a speech. It was the XI Conference of Ambassadors held in Madrid.

A soporific monologue that ended up being a nap for some of the attendees. During an hour-long speech, some of the 130 ambassadors present struggled to follow Albares's statements. The images distributed by the Foreign Ministry during Albares's speech showed an ambassador asleep at various moments of the conclave.

It is the head of mission in Belgium, Alberto Antón. Antón was appointed head of mission in Belgium at the end of September 2022 after a period as director of the Diplomatic School.

Now, that 'nap' could cost him dearly. The newspaper THE OBJECTIVE reveals that his images sleeping have irritated Albares. So much so that it may have led to his departure from Brussels.

It is a foreign post where its occupants usually spend four years as a rule. This shows that Albares didn't hesitate when signing his dismissal.

Ambassador Antón must now return to the Ministry without an assigned position. Upon his return, he must consider that this year's foreign posts are about to be distributed, so it seems he will be left without specific assignments. At least until the next competition for foreign posts is announced.

With a degree in Law, Antón joined the diplomatic career in 1985, and Belgium has been his second embassy after a previous stint in Kazakhstan between 2008 and 2012.

According to the aforementioned media, fifteen days after that soporific episode at the Conference of Ambassadors, Antón's 'execution' has taken place.

They report that the Government, at Albares's request, approved this Tuesday to request approval from the Belgian authorities for José María Rodríguez Coso, the current ambassador in Luxembourg. All to take Antón's place in Brussels, in a replacement that will take effect in the coming weeks.

Specifically, when the Belgian Executive grants approval and the minister brings Rodríguez Coso's formal appointment to the Council of Ministers.

Albares proposes sending the Civil Guard to support the Palestinian Authority

José Manuel Albares is once again in the spotlight for the new proposal. That Spain participates in a mission with the European Union in Rafah, following the truce between Israel and Hamas, to which it would contribute Civil Guard personnel. The deployment would take place at the border crossing, to ensure the circulation and access of humanitarian material to the Gaza Strip.

Albares himself explained it in statements to the media upon his arrival at the meeting of European foreign ministers. He did so by pointing out that this force deployed in Rafah, the only border crossing between Egypt and Palestine (Gaza).

He indicated that it aims to "help control the entry and exit of people."

This way, the Foreign Minister has expressed his intention to join the mission that the Union is outlining in Rafah. "The Civil Guard will be present at the meeting," Albares asserted.

He also expressed Spain's support for deploying a mission to help "the entry and exit of people."

The truth is that this new proposal hasn't been well received by a large part of Spaniards. Many have criticized the deployment of agents to Rafah when they didn't arrive in Valencia in time and form.