Far-right terrorism in Spain (Spanish : Terorrismo de extrema derecha) surged after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 and continued until the early 1980s. The term (Spanish: terrorismo tardofranquista, lit. late Francoist terrorism) refers to the actions undertaken by fascist and far-right groups who were against the changes taking place during the transition to democracy, and essentially dedicated to street violence against persons of other ideologies.
As a result of their actions, between 66, 77 and 95 people died. [1] [2] [3] Their actions ranged from assassination of individuals to mass murder, and were centered against leftists, although they also murdered citizens with no relation to politics. [2] They used various names, such as Batallón Vasco Español (Basque Spanish Battalion), Guerrilleros de Cristo Rey (Warriors of Christ the King) and Alianza Apostólica Anticomunista (Apostolic Anticommunist Alliance), abbreviated Triple A or AAA, although it has been commonly stated that there were only a few terrorism networks and they created different names as needed.[ citation needed ]
In parallel with the declaration of state of exception in Vizcaya and Gipuzkoa in April 1975, the first attacks were made against goods and persons related with ETA and their support networks, mainly in the French Basque Country, but also in Spanish territory. The bomb attack against the Mugalde library of Hendaye of 7 April 1975 is considered to be the first armed action of the Spanish neofascist terrorism. On July 12, 1975 these groups publicly presented their first name: ATE (Anti Terrorismo ETA, "Anti-Terrorism of ETA"), when claiming the attacks in the previous months in the media. [4] At this time, these groups had not yet perpetrated acts which resulted in fatalities.
GAL were death squads illegally established by officials of the Spanish government during the Basque conflict to fight against ETA, the principal Basque separatist militant group. They were active from 1983 to 1987 under Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)-led governments.
The Batallón Vasco Español (BVE) sometimes associated with the Alianza Anticomunista (AAA), Antiterrorismo ETA or Triple A was a Spanish neo-fascist parapolice organization present mainly in the Basque Country and Southern France. It began operations in 1975, a year and a half after the murder of Luis Carrero Blanco by ETA and disbanded by April 1981. Some of its former members joined an organization formed not long after, known as the Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación. The use of violence by the BVE was reported by ETA and its allies, who identified it as violence committed directly by the Spanish government against the Basque population. Manuel Fraga, former interior minister who was in office when the BVE was formed, defended it by saying it was a group of mayors who self-defended because ETA was going after them but had no influence in the course of the events.
Núria Espert Romero is a Spanish theatre and television actor, and theatre and opera director.
Rafael Riqueni del Canto, is a Spanish guitar player and composer. He is considered as one of the biggest names or “Maestros” in flamenco guitar history. At age fourteen, he won the two main national awards for flamenco guitar in Spain. As an adult, he has won the most prestigious flamenco music awards in Spain, including: Premio Andalucía de Cultura, Premio Nacional de la Crítica, Giraldillo a la Maestría de la XVIII Bienal de Flamenco y el Premio AIE. In 2017, he was awarded with XXXI Compás del Cante, this award is always referred to by the Spanish media as the "Flamenco Nobel prize".
The Basque conflict, also known as the Spain–ETA conflict, was an armed and political conflict from 1959 to 2011 between Spain and the Basque National Liberation Movement, a group of social and political Basque organizations which sought independence from Spain and France. The movement was built around the separatist organization ETA, which had launched a campaign of attacks against Spanish administrations since 1959. ETA had been proscribed as a terrorist organization by the Spanish, British, French and American authorities at different moments. The conflict took place mostly on Spanish soil, although to a smaller degree it was also present in France, which was primarily used as a safe haven by ETA members. It was the longest running violent conflict in modern Western Europe. It has been sometimes referred to as "Europe's longest war".
The July 1979 Madrid bombings were a series of bomb attacks carried out by ETA political-military (ETA-pm), a faction of the armed Basque separatist group ETA. The attacks, consisting of coordinated bombings in Barajas Airport and the train stations of Atocha and Chamartín, killed 7 people and injured a further 100. The bombings occurred a day after two attacks in Bilbao and San Sebastian, with both attacks killing two people.
The Grupos Armados Españoles (GAE) was a Spanish neo-fascist paramilitary organisation active from 1979 to 1980, primarily in the Basque Country. A report by the Office for Victims of Terrorism of the Basque Government in June 2010 attributed six murders to the group, and linked it to the National Police Corps, SECED and the Civil Guard.
The Alianza Apostólica Anticomunista was a Spanish far-right paramilitary organisation active from 1976 to 1983, primarily in the southern Basque Country but also in the French Basque Country and Barcelona. A June 2010 report by the Office for Victims of Terrorism of the Basque Government attributed eight murders with 66 deathly victims to the group and linked it to the National Police Corps, SECED and the Civil Guard. The group attacked the satirical magazine El Papus in Barcelona, killing one person and injuring 17.
Jesús María Pedrosa Urquiza. He was a Spanish politician victim of terrorism of ETA.
José Antonio Vivó Undabarrena was a politician assassinated by the armed Basque separatist group ETA on February 6, 1979.
José Ignacio Ustarán Ramírez was a Spanish politician, candidate for UCD in the first elections for the Basque Parliament, and a mortal victim of the Basque separatist organization ETA on September 29, 1980.
José Luis Caso Cortines was a Spanish politician, a victim of ETA.
Juan de Dios Doval Mateo. He was a politician and professor at the Law Faculty of San Sebastian who was assassinated by the Basque separatist group ETA.
Luis Candendo Pérez was a Spanish politician victim of ETA's terrorism.
Luis María Uriarte Alzaa was a Spanish politician, Mayor of Vedia (Guipuzcoa) and Provincial Congressman in Biscay. The terrorist organization ETA murdered Luis María on September 29, 1979.
Manuel Zamarreño Villoria was a Spanish politician assassinated by Basque terrorist group ETA
Modesto Carriegas Pérez was a victim of the terrorism of ETA, candidate for the Congress of Deputies of the Coalition Unión Foral del País Vasco.
José Tomás Larrañaga Arenas was a Spanish politician who was assassinated by the ETA.
No te rías, que es peor is a Spanish game show broadcast from 1990 to 1995 on La 1 from 14:30 to 15:00 Monday to Friday. It was produced by Josep María Mainat and Toni Cruz.
María Jesús Alegre Etayo, also known as Chus Alegre, is a Spanish former rhythmic gymnast. She achieved, among other medals, the bronze in the general of the World Championship in Madrid in 1975, the first medal in an international competition for the Spanish national team and the only one in the individual All-Around of a World Championship to date. She won another three more medals in that World Cup and was also absolute champion of Spain in 1976 and 1977.