H.E. Mr. Ángel Aznar Butigieg

Portrait of His Excellency Lieutenant General Ángel Aznar Butigieg, Director General of the Civil Guard from January 31, 1912 to March 3, 1913. Before that, as War Minister, he stipulated that an officer of the Civil Guard was to accompany military commissions abroad in order to study similar corps in other countries. During his directorship, he organized reserve forces and established training centers (depósitos de instrucción), which were the forerunners of mobile commands and regional academies for new recruits. During his time as War Minister, he had already increased pensions for retirees. As Director, he increased funding for schools for orphaned boys of the Civil Guard and created a similar institution for orphaned girls. It was also during his directorship that Our Lady of the Pillar (Virgin del Pilar) was designated the patron saint of the corps, in October 1912.