The
Portuguese Republican National Guard is the
gendarmerieA gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military body charged with police duties among civilian populations. The members of such a body are called gendarmes. The term maréchaussée may also be used but is now uncommon.-Etymology:The word gendarme comes from Old French gens d'armes, meaning men-at-arms...
of
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
. Members of the GNR are soldiers, who, unlike the officers of the Public Security Police , are subject to military law and organisation. The GNR is responsible for providing
honor guardAn honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
s and changing of guards ceremonies in public buildings, such as the
Assembly of the RepublicThe Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
, the
Belém PalaceThe Belém National Palace is the official residence of the President of Portugal. It is located in the Lisbon neighbourhood of Belém, close to the Tagus river and near many touristic and cultural attractions...
, and the
Palace of NecessidadesFormerly a convent belonging to the Congregation of the Oratory, the Palace of Necessidades , located in the Largo do Rilvas, a public square in Lisbon, Portugal, was built in the eighteenth century, by order of King João V, in gratitude for prayers answered by Our Lady of Needs, whose first...
. On a more pragmatic basis, it is also responsible for law enforcement in the countryside and small towns (large urban centers are patrolled by the PSP), and providing a national
highway patrolA highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, such as the Missouri State Highway Patrol, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such...
and
fiscal guardCustoms is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country. Depending on local legislation and regulations, the import or export of...
.
The
Portuguese Republican National Guard is the
gendarmerieA gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military body charged with police duties among civilian populations. The members of such a body are called gendarmes. The term maréchaussée may also be used but is now uncommon.-Etymology:The word gendarme comes from Old French gens d'armes, meaning men-at-arms...
of
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
. Members of the GNR are soldiers, who, unlike the officers of the Public Security Police , are subject to military law and organisation. The GNR is responsible for providing
honor guardAn honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
s and changing of guards ceremonies in public buildings, such as the
Assembly of the RepublicThe Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
, the
Belém PalaceThe Belém National Palace is the official residence of the President of Portugal. It is located in the Lisbon neighbourhood of Belém, close to the Tagus river and near many touristic and cultural attractions...
, and the
Palace of NecessidadesFormerly a convent belonging to the Congregation of the Oratory, the Palace of Necessidades , located in the Largo do Rilvas, a public square in Lisbon, Portugal, was built in the eighteenth century, by order of King João V, in gratitude for prayers answered by Our Lady of Needs, whose first...
. On a more pragmatic basis, it is also responsible for law enforcement in the countryside and small towns (large urban centers are patrolled by the PSP), and providing a national
highway patrolA highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, such as the Missouri State Highway Patrol, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such...
and
fiscal guardCustoms is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country. Depending on local legislation and regulations, the import or export of...
. There are also two military reserve regiments: an Infantry Regiment and a Cavalry Regiment.
In the 2000s, the GNR has provided detachments for participation in international operations in Iraq and East Timor. , the GNR maintains "Detachment Bravo" in
East TimorEast Timor, also known as Timor-Leste is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecussi-Ambeno, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
, comprising of about 200 personnel, who perform the task of helping to maintain public order in that former Portuguese colony.
Organization
The National Republican Guard includes:
1. General-Command (Headquarters in
LisbonLisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal. It is also the seat of the district of Lisbon and the main city of the Lisbon region...
);
2. Territorial Units:
No. 2 Brigade (Headquarters in Lisbon, covers the Lisbon and
TagusFor the ancient Thessalian title, see TagusThe Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula...
Valley Region),
No. 3 Brigade (
ÉvoraÉvora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of 1,307.0 km² with a population of 553,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District.It contains the city of...
, Southern Region),
No. 4 Brigade (
PortoPorto , also known as Oporto in English, is Portugal's second city and capital of the Norte NUTS II region. The city is located in the estuary of the Douro river in northern Portugal. The largest city in the region, Porto is considered the economic and cultural heart of the entire region...
, Northern Region),
No. 5 Brigade (
CoimbraCoimbra is a city in Coimbra Municipality in Portugal. It served as the country's capital during the First Dynasty and remains home to the University of Coimbra, the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world and one of the oldest in Europe.According to the INE's census of 2001,...
, Central Region);
3. Reserve Units:
Infantry Regiment (located in Lisbon, includes a public order and
special operationsSpecial operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
Battalion and Garrison Companies),
Cavalry Regiment (located in Lisbon, includes a Horse Group, a Motorized and Armoured Squadron and a Presidential Guard);
4. Special Units:
Fiscal Brigade (Headquarters in Lisbon, responsible for the customs and border patrol, includes a maritime service and covers all of the Portuguese territory, including
AzoresThe Azores is a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about from Lisbon and about from the east coast of North America. The two westernmost Azorean islands actually lie on the North American plate...
and
MadeiraMadeira is a Portuguese archipelago in the mid Atlantic Ocean that lies between and . It is one of the Autonomous regions of Portugal, with Madeira Island and Porto Santo Island being the only inhabited islands...
),
Brigada de Trânsito,
Highway patrolA highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, such as the Missouri State Highway Patrol, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such...
(Headquarters in Lisbon, responsible for patrolling the highways, covers all of the continental Portuguese territory);
5.
School of the GuardThe Military Academy is a Portuguese military establishment, which has the ability to confer educational qualifications equivalent to a university...
;
6. Band of the GNR.
The National Republican Guard is commanded by a
Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and the
BrigadeA brigade is a military unit that is typically composed of two to five regiments or battalions, depending on the era and nationality of a given army. Usually, a brigade is a sub-component of a division, a larger unit consisting of two or more brigades; however, some brigades are classified as a...
s are commanded by
Major GeneralMajor General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General...
s. The
BrigadeA brigade is a military unit that is typically composed of two to five regiments or battalions, depending on the era and nationality of a given army. Usually, a brigade is a sub-component of a division, a larger unit consisting of two or more brigades; however, some brigades are classified as a...
s include Groups (commanded by
Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
s), Detachments (commanded by Captains), Sub-Detachments (commanded by Junior officers) and Posts (commanded by Sergeants or Corporals).
History
The National Republican Guard is the direct descendant of the Royal Guard of the Police created in the beginning of the 19th century.
Royal Guard of the Police (Guarda Real da Polícia) - The Royal Guard of the Police of Lisbon was created in 1801 by
Prince Regent JohnJohn VI, born Don John Mary Joseph Francis Javier of Paula Louis Anthony Dominic Raphael of Braganza , the Clement John VI, born Don John Mary Joseph Francis Javier of Paula Louis Anthony Dominic Raphael of Braganza (in Portuguese:Dom João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos...
on the initiative of the Intendant-General of the Police of the Court and the Kingdom,
Pina ManiqueDr. Diogo Inácio de Pina Manique was a Portuguese magistrate.He was the son and heir of Pedro Damião de Pina Manique , who succeeded his father in the ground-rent of Knight-Fidalgo of the Royal Household Dr. Diogo Inácio de Pina Manique (Lisbon, Santa Catarina, 3 October 1733 — Lisbon,...
. It took as a model the French Gendarmerie (1791). Following the creation of the Royal Guard of the Police of Lisbon the Royal Guard of the Police of Porto and the Royal Guard of the Police of Rio de Janeiro were created. The latter subsequently provided the origin of the military police forces of the member states of
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
.
Municipal Guard (Guarda Municipal) - At the end of May, 1834, as a result of the
Civil WarThe Liberal Wars, also known as the Portuguese Civil War, the War of the Two Brothers, or Miguelite War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 1828 to 1834...
, King Peter IV, assuming the regency in name of his daughter
Queen Mary IIMaria II da Glória was Queen of Portugal from 1826 to 1853. She was the second Queen regnant of Portugal and the Algarves, and the 29th or 30th Portuguese monarch.-Life:...
, disbanded the Royal Guards of the Police of Lisbon and Porto, creating the Municipal Guards of Lisbon and Porto on the basis of similar conditions. In 1868 both of the Guards were put under a unified General-Command, installed in the Carmo Barracks in Lisbon, which today still is the Headquarters of the GNR. The Municipal Guard was considered part of the Army, but was dependent on the Ministry of Internal Affairs for all matters regarding public security.
Republican National Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana) - After the coup of the 5 October 1910, which substituted the Constitutional Monarchy with the Republic, the new regime changed the name of the Municipal Guard to the Republican Guard (Guarda Republicana). In 1911, the name changed to Republican National Guard: this was to be a security force consisting of military personnel organised in a Special Body of Troops depending, in peace time, on the Ministry of Internal Administration, for the purpose of conscription, administration and execution with regards to its mission, and the Ministry of the National Defense for the purpose of uniformization and normalization of the military doctrine, as well as for its armament and equipment. In case of war or situation of crisis, the forces of National Republican Guard will, in terms of the respective laws and for operational effect, be subordinated to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. In 1993 the Republican National Guard absorbed the independent Fiscal Guard (Guarda Fiscal) that became the Fiscal Brigade of the GNR. Also, in 2006 a new GNR unit was created with the purpose of firefighting and was named GIPS.
A small contingent of GNR forces has been deployed in Timor-Leste in 2006 (see video below).
Equipment
- Glock 17 (9x19mm Parabellum);
- Glock 19 (9x19mm Parabellum);
- Walther P99 (9x19mm Parabellum);
- FAMAE SAF (9x19mm Parabellum);
- HK MP5 (9x19mm Parabellum);
- HK G36 (5.56x45 NATO).
and more...
External links