Spain released secret documents

Madrid (dpa) — The Spanish government has published previously secret documents relating to an attempted coup on February 23, 1981.

These reveal that the putschists considered it a serious mistake not to have arrested then-king Juan Carlos I, who is a member of the House of Bourbon.

“First mistake: leaving the ‘Bourbon’ free and treating him like a man of honour,” read the facsimile of a handwritten note by one of the participants, published on the government’s website on Wednesday. It remains unclear which military commander wrote the document.

Just over five years after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, the coup attempt put the still young Spanish democracy to a severe test at the time.

Two armed companies of the paramilitary police unit Guardia Civil, led by Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero, stormed the parliament in Madrid on the evening of February 23.

King saved young Spanish democracy

The deputies were taken hostage during the session to elect a new prime minister in the lower house, or Congress of Deputies. Shots were fired, but no one was injured. Military units also occupied the city of Valencia.

The determined stance of Juan Carlos – who only a few hours after the occupation of the congress made a forceful televised address advocating for the maintenance of constitutional order – took the wind out of the coup plotters’ sails.

The insurgent forces surrendered by midday on February 24.

Other documents also published for the first time

Numerous other documents made public for the first time contain details of the coup plans, subsequent attempts by those involved to cover up their part in the events and reactions to what happened.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said earlier this week that publishing the document would “settle a historical debt.”