The controversy over the alleged ban on people dressing up as Guardia Civil officers during Carnival has been clarified in Congress by the Minister of the Interior, Jorge Fernández Díaz.
According to the Minister, the ban, published in the Official Gazette on January 30th 2014, only relates to the impersonation of an officer in respect of the commission of a crime. This, he said, does not prevent the wearing of Guardia Civil uniforms during Carnival, which is a popular tradition.
The Minister added that the Penal Code already covered impersonation of a police officer.
In that case, why the need to add a second similar law? Unless, of course, it was actually intended to cover such things as Carnival but has been ‘re-interpreted’ due to the uproar caused.