A woman to boost military justice | Spain

Begoña Aramendía Rodríguez de Austria was born in Sidi Ifni just 60 years ago, when the city of the South coast of Morocco It was still under the Spanish protectorate. There he spent the first four years of his life and remembers rather little, just Christmas in his « almost desert » garden, he says, and the sea. In 1969 he moved to Zaragoza with his family following his father’s fate as a infantry colonel, his reference. Daughter, niece, cousin, granddaughter and great -granddaughter of military, the aramendia is totally vocational. With a long career behind him, he became on March 12 the third woman in the history of the Armed Forces in wearing two stars in his olive green uniform, as his appointment as President of the Central Military Court (TMC), the first woman in history to occupy that positionthe rise to the general of division was associated, the highest distinction in the common bodies.

The modern and casual appearance that gives him his look « A very short hair of chillion yellow, almost white, » contrasts with the seriousness and authority that gives off her « brilliant » curriculum, according to those who know her. A brief look at his jacket is enough to get the idea of ​​the number of national and international missions, courses and medals that he has received over the years. It has gone through the Navy and the Army has been deployed in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Lebanon. « It is super prepared, » describes a colleague of the Military Defense Legal Corps. From now on, Aramendia will be the visible head of the military jurisdiction and, in that sense, some 60 people will be in charge, although directly, in the TMC, four vowels. « This destination is very nice, » he says visibly happy.

The TMC, based in Madrid, is responsible for the criminal procedures and administrative resources that come from the five territorial courts (Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, ​​A Coruña and Santa Cruz de Tenerife), but with the particularity that only behaviors are judged in it from commanders or coruta captain to general division or vice -warming generals, its equivalent in the Navy. In addition, the TMC has jurisdiction throughout the country while the rest, the procedures against the employment of Lieutenant to Commander, are judged in the competent territorial court according to the region where the alleged crime has been committed.

Delivered to its two passions; The right, which studied it at the University of Zaragoza, and the militia, entered the Central Academy of Defense (Carabanchel, Madrid) in 1989. There the students specialize in the first year in military law and secondly they spend a season rotating through the three armies and then work in a first destination. In the case of Aramendia, which preferred the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla, it was the Navy, where it carried out legal advice.

« (Aramendia) will not create jurisprudence, but somehow the (territorial) courts will take into account what she says, » clarifies a military controller. In fact, one of the most popular cases that will now have to settle this court in charge of General Aramendia It is that of Cerro Muriano, for which it is investigated The controversial death of two military in some exercises in that Cordoba base on December 21, 2023 and that is now pending resource in the TMC. A resolution that announces, will arrive very briefly.

The work avalanche as a consequence of paralysis in territorial courts It will be important. « There will be 200, 300 or 400 administrative resources. There is a lot of pending work, » he predicts a source from the fifth room of the Supreme Court, the military, making a memory calculation. The official data confirms it: there are 77 criminal issues and 375 contentious-disciplinary resources the backward procedures. « Given the existing workload, the only tool is to work with a vocation and spirit of service, » explains the president who adds that she will give priority to cases with inmate or deceased and seriously injured because behind them there are families waiting to receive compensation, pensions and wanting to close duels. In the guild, therefore, they hope that the general – second to ascend to Brigade General, third to ascend to the general division and first to preside over the TMC – « I dynamize everything. » « In a year I intend to normalize military jurisdiction, » he says from his office on the central Street of Princesa (Madrid).

« Independence, impartiality, responsibility, dedication and spirit of service. » That is what Aramendía promises for this new professional stage that inaugurated the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) With his appointment he month and a half ago and he hopes to occupy for the next three years. One of his priorities, he says, will be to « speed up » those procedures after years of paralysis in justice for what he considers « fundamental » the coverage of vacancies in courts and military courts. « It will be a difficult year, » After the renewal of the CGPJ, the members of the military jurisdiction have gone from only ten to 28 (from a total of 42 places). « The rest of the vacancies will be published in nearby dates, » And it is that of its four places of vocal two are already assigned and the other two will still take little more, which makes the TMC only half of people to unblock years of late resources.

The incorporation of women as « essential »

The general bets on the presence of women in the Armed Forces. It is « more conciliatory, intuitive and has greater sensitivity in decision making that combines with the firm exercise of command », and that is why it considers its incorporation as « essential. » Although he acknowledges that conciliation in this sector « is complicated » by the existence of exercises, maneuvers, navigations, deployments and others, does not believe that being a prison woman in the Armed Forces because there are many conciliation measures to find the balance between personal life and professional life. « The balance between the conciliation and the operation of the units is fundamental, » he says. Aramendia defends that all, both men and women, have « the same challenges, rights and duties » with what women « can reach where they propose with effort and dedication. » After a pause, laugh when asked if he considers feminist: « If it is to defend that women have the same rights as men, then, » he replies.

The new president of the TMC, inveterate reader of history books, takes the vocation of service in her DNA and is not only demanding with herself, but with those around her, according to some acquaintance. He acknowledges that he has a concept of very perfectionist work for which there are no schedules, but neither limits, which has made his guard lift more than any colleague of the military judiciary. Although she recognizes that her free time is « limited », she takes out some moments to swim, a sport she practiced professionally since she was a child, when she became the fifth in Aragon in 200 meters. In summer he finds his refuge in Combarro (Galicia) who, at Christmas time, changes for the United States, where one of his three brothers lives.