I’m a Spanish native speaker and the translation of this word (tarados) has a very negative connotation, it can even be used as an insult. Does the same happen in French?
You’re right, “tarado” is much stronger. “Abruti” is more like stupid, someone who is not intelligent at all, although it has a negative connotation and it can be an insult, but here it’s not. In any case it’s not as strong as “tarado”, which would be “taré” in French.