Luis Roldán facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Luis Roldán
Roldán in 1986
Director General of the Civil Guard
In office 31 December 1986 – 3 December 1993
Preceded by	José Antonio Sáenz de Santa María
Succeeded by	Ferran Cardenal de Alemany
Personal details
Born	Luis Roldán Ibáñez 16 August 1943 Zaragoza, Spain
Died	24 March 2022 (aged 78) Zaragoza, Spain
Political party	Socialist Workers' Party
Alma mater	UNED (real), University of Saragossa

Luis Roldán Ibáñez (born August 16, 1943 – died March 24, 2022) was a Spanish politician. He was a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. He became well-known as the head of the Civil Guard, which is Spain's national police force.

In 1993, a major scandal about corruption came to light during his time in office. This event, along with another case, played a big part in his party losing the 1996 general election. When legal action started against him, Roldán left Spain in 1994. He later turned himself in at an airport in Bangkok in 1995. He was found guilty of misusing public money, accepting bribes, and other financial crimes. He was sentenced to prison and served time in a special unit at a prison in Ávila. In 2005, he was allowed to leave prison during the day for work.

A Look at Luis Roldán's Career

Luis Roldán was a long-time member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). He was also part of the Unión General de Trabajadores, a large trade union. Roldán claimed he had a university degree in Industrial Engineering. However, later investigations by journalists showed that this degree was not real.

After the PSOE won the 1982 general elections, Roldán was appointed as the Government's Delegate in Navarre. He held this important position until 1986. That year, he made history by becoming the first civilian to lead the Civil Guard. This was a big change, as the Civil Guard had always been led by military officers before him.

Modernizing the Civil Guard

Under Roldán's leadership, the Civil Guard went through many important changes. These changes helped to make the force more modern. For example, a program was started to fix and improve the living quarters for Civil Guard members, as many were in poor condition.

Another major step was that women were allowed to join the Civil Guard for the first time. This was a significant move towards equality. The Maritime Service of the Civil Guard was also created, which helps patrol Spain's waters. Roldán also worked to improve the Civil Guard's counter-terrorism and intelligence services. These efforts led to big successes, like the arrest of the leaders of the separatist group ETA in 1992.

During his time, some members of the Civil Guard started a protest movement. They wanted better working conditions and for the force to become more democratic. They even formed a secret union for Civil Guardsmen.

The Corruption Scandal Unfolds

While Luis Roldán was the director, there were problems with some equipment purchased for the Civil Guard. For example, faulty bullets were bought that caused injuries to military personnel.

In 1993, a newspaper called Diario 16 began to report on suspicions about Roldán's wealth. They noticed that his personal fortune seemed to be growing too quickly. These reports eventually led to his removal from his position in December 1993.

It was discovered that Roldán had used his position to gain a lot of money through dishonest ways. This led to a big scandal. Roldán left Spain in early 1994. He was later arrested in Bangkok in February 1995. There were claims that Roldán and the government had made a deal for his capture, but the government denied these claims.

Life After the Scandal

After his arrest, Luis Roldán was sent to a prison in Brieva in February 1995. This prison is mostly for women, but it has a special, separate unit where men can serve their sentences.

Judges worked to recover some of the money Roldán had gained improperly. They were able to get back about 1.6 million euros by seizing bank accounts and selling some of his properties in Spain. However, a much larger part of his fortune, estimated to be around 10 million euros in 1993, was never found.

After spending 15 years in jail, Luis Roldán was released from prison on March 19, 2010.

Roldán in Popular Culture

Luis Roldán's story has been featured in books and films.

• In 2015, writer Fernando Sánchez Dragó published a book about Roldán's life. Roldán himself helped with the book.
• A book by Manuel Cerdán, Paesa, el espía de las mil caras, was used as the basis for a 2016 Spanish film. The movie is called Smoke & Mirrors. In the film, actor Carlos Santos plays the role of Luis Roldán.

Images for kids

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  Roldán in 1986

See also

In Spanish: Luis Roldán Ibáñez para niños