1. Surveillance and Monitoring:
- The secret police kept a close watch on individuals and groups suspected of opposing Franco's regime. They monitored political activities, conversations, and gatherings, often employing undercover agents and informers.
2. Arrests and Detentions:
- The secret police regularly carried out arrests of political dissidents, activists, and anyone deemed a threat to the regime. These arrests were often made without warrants and based on mere suspicions.
3. Interrogation and Torture:
- Once arrested, individuals were subjected to intense interrogations. The secret police employed various methods of torture, including physical and psychological abuse, to extract information and confessions.
4. Infiltration of Organizations:
- The secret police infiltrated political organizations, labor unions, student groups, and other potential hotbeds of dissent. This allowed them to gather intelligence, disrupt activities, and influence or manipulate certain groups.
5. Suppression of Opposition:
- The secret police played a critical role in suppressing political opposition. They dismantled clandestine organizations, dismantled networks of opponents, and neutralized potential threats to Franco's authority.
6. Control over the Media:
- The secret police monitored the media to ensure it adhered to the regime's propaganda and censorship rules. They censored newspapers, books, and other publications, suppressing critical or dissenting viewpoints.
7. Censorship of Artistic and Cultural Expression:
- Art, literature, films, and other forms of cultural expression were subject to strict censorship by the secret police. Anything deemed critical of the regime or subversive in nature was suppressed.
8. Collaboration with Other Police Agencies:
- The secret police coordinated and collaborated with other law enforcement agencies, such as the Civil Guard and the National Police, to carry out arrests, investigations, and surveillance.
9. Psychological Manipulation:
- Apart from physical repression, the secret police also engaged in psychological manipulation by spreading rumors, threats, and fear among the population to discourage any form of dissent.
10. Long-Arm Reach:
- The secret police had an extensive network of agents, both within Spain and abroad, allowing them to track and monitor opponents in exile and maintain control over the Spanish diaspora.
In conclusion, Francisco Franco's use of secret police was an integral part of the repressive machinery of his regime. Through surveillance, arrests, interrogations, torture, and censorship, the secret police enforced obedience and stifled any form of resistance or opposition to Franco's rule, creating a climate of fear and oppression that characterized his dictatorship for decades.