A serious internal crisis has erupted within the Justicia Guardia Civil (Jucil) association, known for its hardline stance toward the Ministry of the Interior. Ernesto Vilariño, who until recently led the organization, unexpectedly announced his voluntary resignation. This occurred just before the start of an extraordinary assembly that he himself had initiated in an attempt to remove several opponents from the leadership. Around a hundred members attended the meeting, most of whom opposed Vilariño.
In his brief resignation statement, Vilariño did not specify whether he would remain a member of the Consejo de la Guardia Civil, which represents staff interests before the ministry. He later explained in a press release that stepping down was necessary to unblock the work of the National Executive Committee, which had been paralyzed since the failed elections last October. At that time, two opposing factions formed within Jucil, and now, according to Vilariño, members of the association will have a chance to elect new leadership and define the organization’s future direction.
Internal disagreements
Vilarinho’s resignation marked the culmination of a long-running conflict between two factions within Jucil’s leadership. In recent days, tensions escalated: both sides separately summoned nearly 15,000 members to extraordinary assemblies. The first, initiated by Vilarinho, took place on Friday—he intended to remove two of his opponents. The second group, led by brothers Oscar and David González Sequeira, proposed holding a meeting the following week to discuss the current situation, possible solutions, and even amendments to the organization’s bylaws. According to observers, their goal was to force Vilarinho’s departure, but he preempted them by resigning voluntarily.
Those close to the former leader say he grew weary of the ongoing conflicts that had persisted for months. There were even debates within the association regarding Vilarinho’s expenses, which only heightened the tensions.
Causes of the crisis
The roots of the current crisis date back to last year, when legal proceedings began between Jucil’s leadership and five former leaders. The latter accused Vilarinho’s team of misusing funds. However, the real blow to the association came during the October elections, when Jucil lost half of its representatives on the Civil Guard Council, securing only 6,838 votes—half as many as four years ago, when the organization became the largest in its sector.
After this defeat, the Asociación Unificada de Guardias Civiles (AUGC) surpassed Jucil in both votes and representatives. A rift emerged within Jucil: six out of ten members of the executive committee, backed by the González Sequeira brothers, rejected Vilariño’s proposals for overcoming the crisis. In December, both sides attempted to reach an agreement: it was decided to cancel both assemblies and hold internal elections on January 30. However, the truce was short-lived—opponents accused Vilariño of altering the agreed-upon text of the deal.
Consequences and New Elections
The publication of details about the internal conflict in the media only intensified the situation. Critics circulated a statement among association members, accusing Vilariño of trying to manipulate the situation and destabilize the organization. As a result, his resignation became inevitable.
Currently, Jucil’s interim leadership has passed to the ten members of the executive committee, including Vilariño himself, until new elections can be held. Association members expect the upcoming election campaign will determine whether Jucil can restore unity and regain its former standing in representing the interests of civil guard personnel.
