National Guard (El Salvador) - History

History

The need to create a special public security force to ensure the interests of the Salvadoran land owners in the countryside, owing to increased demands for higher wages by coffee pickers in rural areas, since all efforts made by law enforcement authorities and task forces had not had good results. The task forces were patrolling soldiers, commanded by an army officer, scattered throughout the country. These organizations did not have any preparation in the fight against crime in its various guises, which were incapable of stopping the thefts, killings, rapes and so on. Criminals of that era were using topographical features to hide from the authorities.

This was the primary reason that prompted the President of the Republic Dr. Manuel Enrique Araujo, to create the National Guard. A corps made up of specially trained men with modern equipment and uniformed appropriately for the type of coffee plantations where they were going to act was needed. Furthermore, it was legally constituted to support its actions and proceedings against the offenders to extended the scope of justice to the most remote areas.

Dr. Araujo gave the Engineer and General José María Peralta Lagos, Minister of War and Navy, to study the organization and functioning of the police forces of Europe.

Peralta Lagos, a graduate of the Military Academy of Spain in 1897, used, Spanish Guardia Civil as a model on February 3, 1912, by Executive Order, in the Department of the Interior, at the facilities occupied by the Sixth Infantry Regiment and later by the Ecole Normale "Alberto Masferrer," the National Guard was formally established.

Earlier this year the Government engaged the services of Spanish Captain Alfonso Martin Garrido, to organize the National Guard. Captain Garrido previously had served as Inspector General of the National Police, and was assimilated into the Salvadoran army as a colonel. This Spaniard, with vast experience in the Spanish military, was the first director general of the National Guard.

The first standard uniforms used by the National Guard was khaki colored, worn with long pants, with metal buttons running down the front and emblems of the neck. The shoes, leggings and equipment belts were all brown. A felt hat was worn until 1918, when it was changed to straw, which was worn until 1924. These hats were worn with the left wing brim bent upward which carryed a fabric Cockade in the colors of the Flag of El Salvador, the Cockade was changed to metal. The issued weapon was the 7mm Spanish Mauser rifle which was used until 1924. This dress was an early idea of Colonel Garrido.

The first regulation of the National Guard were issued on Sept. 25, 1912, and they were in force until April 12, 1924.

The National Guard in the early depended on the Secretaría de Gobernación (Interior Ministry), but it was the Secretary of War which will provide all resources necessary for its functions and organization.

Over the years, the National Guard, was more and more involved with the life of the nation when on Aug. 20, 1914, it became part of the active Army as a "Special Corps of the Army".

One of his functions as Special Corps under Art. 1 of its Organic Law, was to deliver its services with one faction in properly selected Presidential House.