Maria del Mar Pageo is not a woman who startles easily. Born in Almería in 1961, she is a doctor by profession, but her real education in human vulnerability and solidarity has come through four decades of service with the Red Cross. She joined as a young volunteer and has experienced every facet of the organisation, from grassroots youth work to the highest national leadership, becoming its president in 2023. She describes these three years as intense, marked by a peculiar beginning when the effects of the pandemic were still visible, followed by a series of major emergencies that tested Spain: the devastating Dana floods, the fires in Adamuz, wildfires across the country. Being at the national presidency, she says, has allowed her to witness how vital humanitarian action is for a broad segment of society, especially in moments of crisis. But she is equally honest about something that was not part of her initial plans: the rise of disinformation and polarisation, and the fact that the Red Cross itself became a target of coordinated smear campaigns on social media, designed to tarnish its work and undermine public trust. The latest campaign coincided with the organisation’s response to the emergency in Ceuta, where the Red Cross continues to work and has no intention of withdrawing while needs remain active. Throughout all of this, Pageo holds firm to a message she repeats with the same vigour she has always shown: human dignity transcends any other political, social, or economic interest, and it must guide humanitarian action no matter the noise around it.
The disinformation campaigns, she explains, were not random or accidental. They were designed to create a parallel reality, one in which the Red Cross is somehow suspect, and to cast doubt on an institution that has spent more than a century earning the trust of Spanish society. She acknowledges that these campaigns did have consequences: there was a slight drop-off in those channelling their solidarity through the Red Cross, particularly among people influenced by narratives far from the truth of what the organisation actually is. Yet, at the same time, she points out that trust in the Red Cross remains significantly strong. During Dana, one of the most devastating emergencies in recent Spanish history, the organisation achieved unprecedented fundraising from both companies and individuals, and it did so precisely while the largest disinformation campaign was raging around it. Pageo believes the ultimate aim of these attacks is to erode trust in institutions themselves. For the Red Cross specifically, the campaigns seek to undermine faith in humanitarian action as a whole, with terrible consequences for the most vulnerable people. It may seem that the only impact is a lack of funds, but the truth is that disinformation shrinks the humanitarian space where individuals have the right to be helped. That space must be protected, she insists, because anyone, at any time, might need it. The pandemic showed how fragile our assumptions of safety are, but memory is fragile too, and people forget that we are always vulnerable, all of us, without exception. When asked who the true victims of these attacks are, she is direct: the primary victims are people in vulnerable situations, even if those attacks are aimed at the Red Cross. It is not about them or us, she says, because any of us can find ourselves in need at any moment.
Nowhere has this tension been more visible than in Ceuta, the latest emergency the Red Cross has been managing. Pageo does not hide the difficulty of the situation, but she also takes quiet pride in how her organisation has responded. The Red Cross has been present in Ceuta for over 130 years, addressing the needs of the entire population in very different areas, and this daily work has not stopped. Alongside it, an emergency has unfolded involving a significant number of arrivals, and the Red Cross has responded by meeting the most fundamental necessity of all: food and drink. She recalls that despite hostile circumstances, since July 30 there have been 53 new volunteers in Ceuta, a sign that solidarity remains alive. She also highlights that the Red Cross is not only assisting those who have arrived but is also supporting the significant local movement of ordinary people providing humanitarian aid to these individuals. There is, she acknowledges, a segment of the population unhappy with the assistance being given to new arrivals, and this discomfort is being promoted and amplified by a loud dimension of social and political life. Yet Pageo is careful not to exaggerate its weight: the division it promotes is not as substantial as it sounds, but it is quite loud, and that loudness is exactly what disinformation thrives upon. Could this noise force the Red Cross to abandon its efforts in Ceuta? Her answer is firm: no. The organisation will continue preserving the humanitarian space and accompanying those in need. She returns to the core principles of the Red Cross: this is not about who has more or fewer rights, not about migrants or locals, not about identity or religion. People are equalised by need, and the Red Cross steps in whenever there is a need, without asking where someone comes from or what they believe. Neutrality is not weakness; it is the very tool that protects that voluntary space of assistance.
Political parties have attacked the Red Cross directly and publicly, and Pageo is asked how she responds to such criticism. Her approach is calm and principled. The defence against criticism from different fields is simply to do what the Red Cross has always done: respond with principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence, staying completely separate from political spheres. She refuses to engage in political fights, insisting that the organisation’s focus must remain on the humanitarian realm. She suggests that some of those challenging the Red Cross misjudge the scope and dimension of its work, remaining locked within their own political interests. In a world where polarization is constantly tempting institutions to take sides, Pageo argues that everyone should have an ultimate goal, something that prevails over everything else, and for her that goal is the protection of humanity. She is not naive about the risks. The hostile parallel reality created by disinformation endangers not only the reputation of the organisation but also its volunteers and technical staff, who are out in the field every day, delivering aid with absolute pride. They are subject to harassment, and the Red Cross exists to protect them as much as to protect those they serve, because their service is entirely vocational, grounded in the principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. Those principles, she notes, are exactly what disinformation challenges. And yet, despite the difficult moments, volunteers continue to respond. In fact, during emergencies, and even amid these campaigns, the number of volunteers has always increased, which tells her something powerful about the enduring generosity of people.
Pageo broadens the conversation when asked how serious the situation really is. She believes that we are at a critical moment, not just for the Red Cross but for society as a whole. We cannot allow social narratives to dehumanise people, she warns. Labels like “migrants,” “the homeless,” or “those people” depersonalise individuals, strip them of their dignity, and quiet the empathy that makes humanitarian action possible. Every person inherently possesses dignity, and that dignity must be protected. The humanitarian mandate of the Red Cross is clear: to protect and alleviate human suffering while preserving dignity, regardless of the circumstances. This is why she is so deeply concerned about the shrinking of the humanitarian space or its possible disappearance altogether. There might come a time, she says, when we have to ask ourselves: how do we reach those in need? The risk is real, but she has great faith in the partners, volunteers, and technicians who continue to believe in humanitarian aid, equality, and equity. But ultimately, she insists, this is about what kind of society we want to build. Do we want an inclusive, equitable, peaceful, and cohesive society, or a hostile, violent one that rejects others? That is the real question, and both inside and outside the Red Cross, humanity consistently prevails, though we must remain vigilant. Humanitarian matters, she says, must be separated from political ones. The Red Cross assists all individuals based solely on need, with impartiality and neutrality as unyielding working tools. It does not take sides in conflicts or geopolitical circumstances; it takes sides with those who suffer.
Finally, Pageo addresses one of the recurring attacks against the Red Cross: the management of its funds. She responds with patience and transparency. One element of the harmful disinformation is the suggestion that the Red Cross is opaque or careless with money. The truth, she says, is simple. The Red Cross is committed and accountable to transparency, and its reports are publicly available on its website for anyone interested. A significant part of the budget does come from public subsidies, but she is quick to clarify something often misunderstood: the Red Cross is not a typical NGO. It plays an auxiliary role to public authorities in social and humanitarian areas, always maintaining its independence. If it were ever asked to do something that conflicted with its core principles, it would refuse. Its role is to respond to people’s needs when public administration requests help, across party lines, but this support is not unconditional. If political dynamics change, if budgets shift, the Red Cross will adapt, as it has done for 160 years in difficult and complex circumstances. It also has strong support from businesses, members, and ordinary citizens, and she believes that social trust remains high. Her final message is both a warning and an invitation. In these complex times, we must protect humanity, even if it sounds grandiose, because protecting humanity means protecting all people and their needs. As for those who doubt the Red Cross, she asks them to dig deeper, not to stay on the surface of noisy narratives. Get to know us, she says. The Red Cross is for everyone, regardless of who you are, where you come from, or what you believe. Human dignity, in the end, transcends other interests, and that is the cause to which she has devoted her life.