The Guardia Civil in Spain is a police force with both, military and civilian duties. During the times of the Civil War and under Franco, they acquired a reputation as a heavy-handed police force, acting in a reactionary fashion. Today the Spanish Civil Guard has changed. At home, things are much less tense, whilst internationally the Guardia Civil act in Bosnia, Congo, Haiti, Nicaragua and elsewhere as peacekeepers.

Their moto is ‘Todo por la patria’ (All in the service of the Fatherland), as inscribed here at one of their Mallorcan cuartels (precincts), in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.

The photo was chosen from my archive. It was taken in Palma de Mallorca. The date: July 27th, 2007. The time was 13:41:01.