Laurence Dollimore
THE Guardia Civil is set to be run by a woman for the first time in its 175-year history.
Maria Gamez, from Malaga, will take up the role on Friday (today) in a first for the police force since it was founded by el Duque de Ahumada in May 1844.
The daughter of a lighthouse keeper, Gamez will be the force’s 86th leader after impressing Madrid in her previous role as head of the sub-delegate government in Malaga.
In particular her ‘strong’ handling of the Julen case last year, which saw a toddler perish after becoming trapped down a well, is said to have brought her closer to the Guardia Civil.
It also brought her a great deal of media attention.
The Minister of Defence Margarita Robles was asked to give her approval of Gamez, given that the force is military in nature while also performing police functions.
Having received her full backing, the leadership of Gamez is expected to be made official today at meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Gamez did not want to make a public statement but is said to be ‘happy’ with the new role.
It is not the first time she has made history after she became the first woman to head a sub-delegate government when prime minister Pedro Sanchez put her in charge of Malaga in June 2018.
