The government of Spain is the central government which leads the executive branch and the General State Administration of the Kingdom of Spain.
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Ferdinand, is a Spanish military order whose decoration, known as Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand, is Spain's highest military decoration for gallantry. It is awarded in recognition of action, either individual or collective, to protect the nation, its citizens, or the peace and security of the international community in the face of immediate risk to the bearer. Those eligible are current and former members of the Spanish Armed Forces.
The Order of Merit is a Chilean order and was created in 1929. Succeeding the Medal of the Merit, which was created during the term of the President Germán Riesco through the Minister of War decree No. 1350 on 4 September 1906. This new national distinction was created to recognize the meritorious service provided by foreign military personnel to Chilean officials. The order is only awarded to foreigners.
This is a list of some of the modern orders, decorations and medals of Spain.
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild is both a general military honor and a legion created by Ferdinand VII of Spain on 28 November 1814.
The Order of Civil Merit was established by King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1926. The order recognizes "the civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and foreign citizens for the benefit of Spain."
The Royal Order of Sports Merit is a Spanish civil order of merit established in 18 June 1982. The order is indented to recognise distinguished service in sports, in teaching physical education, or the management, organisation, promotion and development of physical education and sports. The order may be presented to individuals in one of four classes. It may also be presented to legal personalities, organizations, and other entities in one of three classes.
The Order of Arts and Letters of Spain is a Civil Order of Merit of Spain. Established 24 July 2008, it is awarded to individuals and other entities, both Spanish and foreign, who have distinguished themselves in spreading the culture and image of Spain, through active participation in or work in related fields of literary or artistic creation.
The Order of the Cross of St. Raymond of Peñafort is a Spanish civil order of merit. Established 23 January 1944, the five classes recognize service to and contributions toward the development and perfection of the law and jurisprudence. The three medals of the order recognize years of unblemished service within the legal and administrative professions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. The order is named for St. Raymond of Peñafort, the patron saint of lawyers.
The Order of Merit for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is a Civil Order of Merit awarded by Spain. It is awarded to recognize people and organizations for outstanding performance in agriculture, fisheries, and food in all its manifestations. The order was established by Royal Decree 421/1987, on 27 February 1987.
José Antonio Aguiriano Forniés was a Spanish socialist politician who served during the first and constituent legislatures of the Congress of Deputies, representing Álava. He also was a member of the Basque Parliament between 1980 and 1981.
Félix Sanz Roldán is a retired Spanish Army general and intelligence officer who served as Director of the National Intelligence Centre (CNI) from July 2009 to July 2019. He served as Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) of the Spanish Armed Forces during the first government of prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (2004–2008).
The Pablo Neruda Order of Artistic and Cultural Merit was created in 2004 by the National Council of Culture and the Arts of the government of Chile, as part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
The Order of Police Merit is a Spanish distinction created, initially only as a medal, in 1943 to offer a special reward to members of the police. Currently it is awarded in four categories: Gold Medal, Silver Medal, Cross with red badge and Cross with white badge. All of them, except the Cross with white badge, have pensions attached to the salary of the police.
José María "Txema" Portillo Valdés is a Spanish historian, professor of Contemporary History at the University of the Basque Country. He is an expert in the Spanish constitutional history.
The Chief of the Joint Defence Staff (JEMACON) is a high-ranking military officer. The JEMACON is the closest assistant and advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff and it is appointed by the Monarch at the request of the Minister of Defence.
Pascual Sala Sánchez is a Spanish jurist. He was president of the Spanish Supreme Court and of the General Council of the Judiciary between 1990 and 1996, and was later president of the Constitutional Court, between 2011 and 2013.
José Luis García Ferrero was a Spanish veterinarian and politician.
Pablo Pérez Tremps was a Spanish judge on the Constitutional Court and professor of constitutional law.
Gloria Begué Cantón was a Spanish professor, jurist, senator and magistrate. She was the first female law school professor in Spain and was an law educator at Complutense University of Madrid and the University of Salamanca. Cantón became the first female dean at a Spanish university in 1969 and resigned three years later. In 1977, she was appointed a senator in the Senate of Spain as a member of the parliamentary group Agrupación Independiente and therefore joined the Constitutional Court of Spain. Cantón was the first woman magistrate appointed to the Constitutional Court of Spain in 1980 and became its first female vice-president in 1986. She returned to academia at the University of Salamanca following the end of her nine-year term on the court in 1989 before retiring in 2001. Cantón was a recipient of the Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit and the Order of Constitutional Merit.
