Guardia Civil presence in Catalonia faces criticism and political challenges

The association JUCIL has denounced the Spanish government for what it describes as the systematic dismantling of the Guardia Civil in Catalonia under the guise of resource optimization. According to the group, the Ministry of the Interior is withdrawing specialized units, including SEPRONA environmental patrols in vulnerable areas like Lleida and Tarragona, as well as explosive disposal groups and underwater units in L’Estartit.

JUCIL argues that centralizing these services in provincial capitals reduces operational effectiveness and leaves rural and maritime areas unprotected. This withdrawal comes amid concerns regarding wildfire prevention and environmental crime.

Simultaneously, the political party Junts per Catalunya has challenged the regional government led by Salvador Illa regarding the deployment of the Guardia Civil. Using a solar eclipse event in the Els Ports Natural Park as a focal point, Junts has filed parliamentary inquiries to question why the state force, rather than the regional Mossos d’Esquadra, was tasked with traffic management and access control in the area.