Spanish Banks and the Financing of the Arms Industry

• Major Spanish banks play a critical role in sustaining the global arms industry through loans, bond purchases, and shareholdings.
• Lack of financial transparency means that citizens' personal savings and deposits are often unknowingly funneled into companies fueling international conflicts.
• Data from the Centre Delàs d’Estudis per la Pau reveals that between 2020 and 2024, significant capital flowed from Spanish institutions to the defense sector.

Top Spanish Financiers of the Arms Industry (2020–2024)

• The following institutions have provided over $1 million in financing to defense-related firms:
  • Banco Santander: $5.4455 billion
  • BBVA: $3.1873 billion
  • CaixaBank: $657.6 million
  • Banco Sabadell: $145.4 million
  • Kutxabank: $95.4 million

Territorial Hubs of the Spanish Defense Industry

• The defense sector is anchored in specific industrial hubs across the country:
  • Basque Country: Home to firms like ITP, SAPA, Sener, Aernnova, Sidenor, and Grupo Eulen.
  • Madrid and surroundings: Hub for Indra, Rheinmetall, Airbus, and GDELS.
  • Barcelona and area: Location of Atos, Altrán, and IVECO.

Civil Society Action

• The "Banca Armada" (Armed Banking) campaign advocates for radical transparency and demands that banks exclude weapon manufacturers from their financial portfolios.
• The campaign urges citizens to investigate their banks, pressure institutions for ethical divestment, and switch to ethical banking alternatives to ensure their savings do not fuel global violence.