Sensible post, John. Seems like you unfortunately have first-hand experience of these people. I have no doubt that had Kate and Gerry McCann been uneducated Portuguese people then the outcome would have been very different. Perhaps Kate McCann would also have "fallen down the stairs" at the cop-shop.
Do you agree with this, John ? Just curious.
It is an unfortunate fact Anne that the PJ believe violence to be part of their remit. This phenomenon isn't by any means unique to the Iberian Peninsula though as I am sure you will point out.
I can't but contest, John, it's not my experience. There was no civil war in Portugal and the years spent under the domination of Spain were a nightmare (King Sebastian legend).
The GNR, like the gendarmerie nationale, are part of the army, that's why they're armed. Like everywhere there are nice and not so nice persons in all the so different regions of the Iberian Peninsula. I see no motive to generalize. Culturally it doesn't make sense.