On July 1936 he remained loyal to the Republican government and led one Militia column in the Somosierra front. On November 1936 he led the 3rd Mixed Brigade of the Spanish Republican Army during the Battle of Madrid. On August 1937 he was one of the Republican commanders in Asturias and on September 1937 he led the 14th Army Corps in the Asturias Campaign and on October he fled on board a fishing boat in order to avoid capture by the Nationalists. After that, on February 1938 he led the XX Corps in the Battle of Teruel, replacing Leopoldo Menéndez and he led the XII Corps during the Catalonia Offensive. On March 3, 1939 he was appointed military commander of Cartagena, but on March 4 he was arrested by the supporters of Casado during the Cartagena Uprising. On March 6 he fled from Cartagena to Bizerte on board a republican ship.