Carabineros

Carabineros Corps
Cuerpo de Carabineros
Common nameCarabineros
MottoMoralidad, lealtad, valor y disciplina
Morality, loyalty, courage and discipline
Agency overview
Formed1829
Dissolved1940
Superseding agencyGuardia Civil
Jurisdictional structure
National agencySpain
Operations jurisdictionSpain
Governing bodyMinistry of Finance
Constituting instrument
  • Real decreto organizando el Cuerpo de Carabineros de Costas y Fronteras para impedir el contrabando, 31 de marzo de 1829
General nature
Specialist jurisdictions
Operational structure
Overseen byDirectorate-General of Security
Two Carabineros near Benasque in the Pyrenees, 1892.
Former Carabineros headquarters at Xeraco, Valencia restored in 2011
1929 monument to the Carabineros at El Escorial.

The Carabineros was an armed carabiniers force of Spain under both the monarchy and the Second Republic. The formal mission of this paramilitary gendarmerie was to patrol the coasts and borders of the country, operating against fraud and smuggling. As such the Carabineros performed the dual roles of frontier guards and customs officials.

The force was established in 1829 and lasted until 1940 when it was summarily disbanded and merged with the Guardia Civil.[1][2]