Inauguration ceremony of the new Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy, Admiral General Antonio Martorell.

Inauguration ceremony of the new Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy, Admiral General Antonio Martorell.

Thursday, February 11th 2021

Admiral General Antonio Martorell has taken office as Chief of Staff of the Spanish Navy (AJEMA in its Spanish initials) in a ceremony held this morning at the Navy’s Headquarters presided over by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles.

The ceremony began with the reading of the Royal Decree appointing Admiral General Martorell as AJEMA and he was then sworn in.

After the solemn ceremony, and before Admiral Martorell’s inauguration speech, a minute of silence was observed for the victims of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Admiral Martorell began his speech paying tribute to all those who have been victims of the COVID, to their families and in particular to Chief Petty Officer Francisco Rodriguez Sanchez from the crew of the Oceanographic Reasearch Vessel ‘Hesperides’, who is still in the ICU fighting the disease. He also thanked the Minister for the confidence placed in him to lead the Spanish Navy. He likewise thanked his predecessor in the post, Admiral General Teodoro López Calderón for his brilliant tenure as Chief of Staff.

On her part, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, also highlighted the job carried out by the former AJEMA, for having left ‘a modern, prepared and ready Navy’. The Minister also had a special memory for Admiral Escrigas and all the victims of terrorism.

Margarita Robles, addressing Admiral General Martorell, said: ‘Admiral, you have been working for the Spanish Navy for many years, and those who work for the Navy, work for Spain’.