Warriors of Christ the King | |
---|---|
Guerrilleros de Cristo Rey (Spanish) | |
Leader | Mariano Sánchez Covisa |
Dates of operation | c. 1968 – c. 1980 |
Motives | Opposition to separatism, communism, secularism and democracy |
Active regions | Spain (Basque Country, Madrid) |
Ideology | Traditionalism Spanish nationalism National Catholicism Catholic fundamentalism Neo-fascism [1] |
Political position | Far-right |
Notable attacks | Montejurra massacre |
Status | Inactive |
Size | Unknown |
Allies | Batallón Vasco Español Alianza Apostólica Anticomunista Grupos Armados Españoles Acción Nacional Española Antiterrorismo ETA |
Opponents | Carlist Party Basque National Liberation Movement
|
Battles and wars | Basque conflict |
The Guerrilleros de Cristo Rey (English: Warriors of Christ the King) was a far-right paramilitary organisation active in the late 1970s in Spain, primarily in the Basque Country and Madrid, but also in Navarre.
The group emerged at a time of factionism within the Carlist movement. Historically Carlism was a traditionalist, legitimist and Catholic movement, supporting a different monarchical line to the one occupying the Spanish throne.
Under the leadership of Carlos Hugo, the group began to support a left-wing, social democrat ideology under the banner of the Carlist Party. This caused large-scale conflict within the movement; many proclaimed his more traditionalist-minded brother, Sixtus Henry, as Carlist regent. Probably the most notable incident involving the group was the Montejurra massacre of 1976, which happened during the annual Carlist pilgrimage to the Montejurra mountain in Navarre. During this attack, two supporters of the Carlos Hugo faction (Ricardo García Pellejero and Aniano Jiménez Santo) were killed. José Luis Marín García Verde and Hermenegildo García Llorente, alleged members of this armed group, were arrested later, but were later released without investigation as Manuel Fraga (Member of Franco's political board) gave direct instructions not to prosecute these murders. The presence of known European Fascist criminals, active in organisations such as Batallón Vasco Español or Alianza Apostólica Anticomunista and Italy in this has led to some speculating a link to the Cold War-era Operation Gladio.
Attacks attributed to the Warriors of Christ the King: [a]
Carlism is a Traditionalist and Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the Bourbon dynasty, one descended from Don Carlos, Count of Molina (1788–1855), on the Spanish throne.
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.
The Requeté was a Carlist organization, at times with paramilitary units, that operated between the mid-1900s and the early 1970s, though exact dates are not clear.
The Montejurra incidents, was a neo-fascist terrorist attack that took place on 9 May 1976, when two Carlist members were killed and another three seriously wounded by right-wing gunmen at the annual Carlist Party celebration that was held in Montejurra, Navarre, Spain.
The Carlist Party is a Spanish political party that considers itself as a successor to the historical tradition of Carlism. The party was founded in 1970, although it remained illegal until 1977 following the death of the caudillo Francisco Franco and the democratisation of Spain.
Juan Víctor Pradera Larumbe was a Spanish political theorist and a Carlist politician.
José Luis Zamanillo González-Camino (1903–1980) was a Spanish Traditionalist politician. He was the leader of Carlist paramilitary Requeté structures during the Republic and a champion of Carlist collaborationist policy during mid-Francoism, though in the 1940s he maintained a firm anti-regime stand. He was also a representative of the post-Francoist hard core in the course of early transition to parliamentary democracy. He served in the parliament in two strings of 1933-1936 and 1961–1976; in 1961-1976 he was also a member of the Francoist Consejo Nacional. In 1972-1976 he was a member of Consejo de Estado.
Far-right terrorism in Spain surged after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 and continued until the early 1980s. The term 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.
Electoral Carlism of Restoration was vital to sustain Traditionalism in the period between the Third Carlist War and the Primo de Rivera dictatorship. Carlism, defeated in 1876, during the Restauración period recalibrated its focus from military action to political means and media campaigns. Accommodating themselves to political framework of the Alfonsine monarchy, the movement leaders considered elections, and especially elections to Congreso de los Diputados, primary vehicle of political mobilization. Though Carlist minority in the Cortes remained marginal and its impact on national politics was negligible, electoral campaigns were key to sustain the party until it regained momentum during the Second Spanish Republic.
Ignacio Baleztena Ascárate (1887–1972) was a Spanish folk customs expert, a Carlist politician and soldier.
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.
The Carlist Party of Euskal Herria, before 2000 known as the Carlist Party of Euskadi, is a left-wing Carlist Basque political party with presence in the Spanish Basque Country. The party was historically part of the pro-Carlos Hugo wing of the Carlist movement. The party was not legalized until late 1977.
Traditionalism is a Spanish political doctrine formulated in the early 19th century and developed until today. It understands politics as implementing Catholic social teaching and the social kingship of Jesus Christ, with Catholicism as the state religion and Catholic religious criteria regulating public morality and every legal aspect of Spain. In practical terms it advocates a loosely organized monarchy combined with strong royal powers, with some checks and balances provided by organicist representation, and with society structured on a corporative basis. Traditionalism is an ultra-reactionary doctrine; it rejects concepts such as democracy, human rights, constitution, universal suffrage, sovereignty of the people, division of powers, religious liberty, freedom of speech, equality of individuals, and parliamentarism. The doctrine was adopted as the theoretical platform of the Carlist socio-political movement, though it appeared also in a non-Carlist incarnation. Traditionalism has never exercised major influence among the Spanish governmental strata, yet periodically it was capable of mass mobilization and at times partially filtered into the ruling practice.
Montejurra was a Spanish monthly magazine, published between 1960 and 1971. Based in Pamplona it was distributed mostly in Navarre and Northern Spain, though pre-paid copies sent by mail reached recipients in the entire country. Its circulation is not clear; at one point the editors hoped to have 20,000 subscribers. The monthly was formatted as a political magazine and evolved from a 4-page text-only bulletin to a 44-page partially color illustrated review; altogether there were 106 issues published. Politically Montejurra was clearly identified as a Carlist periodical. Its launch was related to Carlism adopting a conciliatory position towards Francoism; following first ambiguous and then increasingly critical stand, since the mid-1960s the monthly suffered from censorship interventions, eventually to be forcibly closed by administration. Montejurra's editorial board was dominated by members of the Progressist faction and the monthly proved vital in their bid for control of the movement; its dominant thread was promotion of the Borbón-Parma dynasty, and especially prince Carlos Hugo.
José Ángel Zubiaur Alegre (1918–2012) was a Spanish right-wing politician. Throughout most of his life he remained active as a Carlist militant and held some positions in the regional Navarrese party executive. In the 1970s he left the movement and contributed to birth of a Navarrista party, Unión del Pueblo Navarro. His career climaxed during the Cortes term in 1967–1971, when he strove to liberalize the regime and gained nationwide recognition. In 1948–1951 and 1983–1987 he served also in the regional Navarrese self-government.
Jesús Elías Francisco Elizalde Sainz de Robles (1907–1980) was a Spanish Carlist politician. He served in the Cortes in two separate strings: during the Second Republic in 1936 and during Francoism in 1954-1958. In 1938-1939 he was a member of Junta Política of Falange Española Tradicionalista, and in 1954-1958 he was a member of FET's Consejo Nacional. In 1942-1944 he headed the regional Carlist Navarrese organization. Politically he sided with the Carlist branch which opted for conciliatory policy towards the Franco regime and leaned towards a monarchist dynastical alliance.
Carlo-francoism was a branch of Carlism which actively engaged in the regime of Francisco Franco. Though mainstream Carlism retained an independent stand, many Carlist militants on their own assumed various roles in the Francoist system, e.g. as members of the FET y de las JONS executive, Cortes procuradores, or civil governors. The Traditionalist political faction of the Francoist regime issued from Carlism particularly held tight control over the Ministry of Justice. They have never formed an organized structure, their dynastical allegiances remained heterogeneous and their specific political objectives might have differed. Within the Francoist power strata, the carlo-francoists remained a minority faction that controlled some 5% of key posts; they failed to shape the regime and at best served as counter-balance to other groupings competing for power.
Juan José Palomino Jiménez (1895-1977) was a Spanish entrepreneur and politician. In business he is known mostly as co-owner and manager of Palomino & Vergara, a sherry brand popular in Spain and beyond between the 1930s and the 1960s; he also contributed to development of the xérès winegrowing business. Politically he supported the Traditionalist cause. In 1932 he was involved in Sanjurjada, a coup intended to topple the Republican government. In 1933–1936 he served as a Carlist deputy to the Cortes, while in 1968–1971 he was president of Junta Suprema Tradicionalista, the top Carlist executive structure.
José María Zavala Castella (1924–1992) was a Spanish politician, active in particular during late Francoism and during transition to democracy. In 1966–1979 he was Secretary General to mainstream Carlist organizations, first Comunión Tradicionalista and since 1971 Partido Carlista. In historiography he is presented as the chief architect of an attempt to transform Carlism from a far-right traditionalist movement into a far-left radical socialist party.
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