The delegate of the Government in Navarre, Alicia Echeverría, has assured today that “in these turbulent times, of conflicts and wars, of suffering, of hoaxes and disinformation, of hate speeches that threaten to undermine our democratic systems, we need more than ever referents that speak of peace, concord and solidarity.” She spoke in this way during the ceremony to hand over the medals of the Order of Civil Merit, the Order of Isabel the Catholic and the Merit of Civil Protection, which was attended by the Director General of Civil Protection and Emergencies of the Ministry of the Interior, Virginia Barcones.
The delegate of the Government stressed that the people recognized today represent “the best of our society: solidarity, the vocation of public service and the undeniable commitment to citizenship that are the values that make Navarre a better community; and Spain, a more just and more egalitarian country”.
For her part, the Director General of Civil Protection, Virginia Barcones, recalled that the work of many people in emergency situations sometimes goes unnoticed by society as a whole, despite the fact that they often risk their own well-being and even their own lives. Hence the importance of public recognition “to the effort, the dedication and, where appropriate, the professionalism shown in the execution of actions, clearly meritorious, with a more than outstanding result”.
Civil Order of Merit Medals
Cruz de Oficial
JOSÉ ANTONIO PALACIO FATÁS. Chief Inspector of the Local Judicial Police Brigade of Tudela since 2021. He arrived in Navarre with a long history of decorations and rewards. He has received 38 public congratulations since his transfer to Tudela for actions in the field of drugs or cybercrime.
JOSÉ AMIABLE SÁNCHEZ LUMBRERAS. Inspector of National Police, arrived in Navarre in 2011 and since 2019 he is head of the Immigration and Borders Unit in Luzaide/Valcarlos. He actively participates in the project to protect the Camino de Santiago.
Cruz
FRANCISCO JAVIER DE JAÉN GIL. Head of the operational group of the Provincial Scientific Police Brigade of the National Police. He has a broad and long professional career, with outstanding interventions in the clarification of robberies, various crimes of homicide, or drug trafficking.
CARLOS JAVIER MONFORTE FANDÓS. Since 2017, head of the operational group of the Provincial Police Information Brigade. Since then he has participated in major operations, such as the dismantling of the “Latin King” and “Blood” groups in 2021 or the altercations that occurred in the San Fermín procession of the year 2022.
DON JUAN JOSÉ SAN MARTÍN BAQUEDANO. A volunteer of the Navarre Red Cross since 1981, he has been part of its workforce since 1992. It highlights its participation in projects to care for the elderly, people with disabilities and migrants. He stressed his involvement in the project for the reception of displaced persons as a result of the Ukrainian war.
Silver Cross
FRANCISCO JOSÉ MESA RUIZ. Civil Guard, stationed in Tudela since 2006. In July 2022, when he was off duty, he intervened decisively in a case of gender-based violence that was taking place in a public space. It guaranteed the safety of the victim and the detention of the aggressor.
Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
ÓSCAR SILVA ÁLVAREZ. Head of the Women and Child Care Team of the Civil Guard in Navarre for eight years. Beyond his work, he collaborates regularly and selflessly in training activities and workshops organized by the Government Delegation. It carries out important awareness-raising activities in the area of violence against women.
Civil Protection Merit Medals
MIGUEL ÁNGEL GONZÁLEZ ROEL and JORGE SEBASTIÁN ALONSO. Civil Guard Agents. In 2021, in the middle of “Barra” storm, they managed to rescue a person who had suffered a road trip and was about to dump his van over the flooded area. That same day they intervened in other aids of special difficulty.