LIEUTENANT GENERAL CARLOS GÓMEZ ARRUCHE, MR. JUAN CARLOS RODRÍGUEZ IBARRA, MR. JUAN JOSÉ LUCAS AND MR. GREGORIO PECES-BARBA RECEIVE THE GRAND CROSS OF MILITARY MERIT.

The ministress of Defence has awarded the Grand Cross of Military Merit to Air Force Lieutenant General and former director of the Civil Guard, Mr. Carlos Gómez Arruche, the former president of the Extremadura Autonomous Regional Government Mr. Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra and the former president of the Senate and former president of the Castille and León Autonomous Regional Government, Mr. Juan José Lucas Giménez. At the same ceremony, held on 26th January at “Buenavista” Palace, Army Headquarters, the ministress presented the Grand Cross of Naval Merit to the former president of the Parliament, Mr. Gregorio Peces-Barba.

The Chief of the Army Staff, Army General Coll, accompanied the ministress at the ceremony along with various relatives and friends of those being honoured.

"I hope that this material, symbolic insignia serves so that you always carry with you the appreciation of the Spanish people for the services that you have given, and in particular the gratitude of our Armed Forces,” remarked the ministress in her address.  Lieutenant General Arruche highlighted that the medal obliged him “a bit more to continue cultivating the virtues upon which our model of civilisation is based”.  Mr. Juan José Lucas conveyed his gratitude to the ministress and the Army “as a citizen who sees in the Army the living, active and exemplary expression of the Spain that we desire, committed to peace, rights and liberties”.  On his behalf, Mr. Gregorio Peces-Barba pointed out that it was an honour to have this distinction and finally the former president of Extremadura, Mr. Rodríguez Ibarra, expressed his pride and satisfaction with the award.  

The Cross of Military Merit honours and individually distinguishes members of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard Corps for the undertaking of actions and deeds or providing services of outstanding merit or importance, as well as to civilian personnel for their commendable activities related with National Defence.