The attempt of coup of

23th February 1981

Main goal :

To finish with the democratic transition in Spain

Political environment of the attempt of coup:

Four elements which were not controlled by government caused a permanent tension:

1.- An economic crisis (inflation, unemployement)

2.- The territorial dispute (centralism / decentralization) and the problem of independence or separatism.

3.- The terrosism (especially the attacks made by ETA)

4.- The resistence of part of the Spanish army to accept a democratic regime

People who played a leading role:

The three most important organizers of the coup

.-Colonel of Guardia Civil Antonio Tejero Molina

.-The General Captain of the 3rd Military Region (Valencia): Jaime Milans del Bosch

.- General Alfonso Armada

And many military men and policemen

People in the government who defended the democracy:

.- King Juan Carlos I

.- Adolfo Suárez

.- Liutenant General Gutiérrez Mellado

.- Sabino Fernández Campo (the King´s personal assistant)

King Juan Carlos I

Adolfo Suárez, the prime minister

Litutenant General Gutiérrez Mellado, Minister of Defense

Sabino Fernández Campo, the King´s assistent

People in the opposition who defended the democracy:

Felipe González, the socialist leader

Santiago Carrillo, the communist leaderFraga Iribarne,

the conservative leader

Events:

The colonel of Guardia Civil Tejero stormed the Parliement (Congress of Deputies) and knidapped them

The General of the 3rd Military Region, Jaime Milans del Bosch, deployed tanks, other military vehicles and troops in the streets of Valencia (the third city of Spain in population)

The seat of the 3rd Military Region in Valencia

At 1:14pm on 24th February, the king interceded on television, in uniform as the Captain General of the Armed Forces, the highest Spanish military rank, to position himself against the insurgents, defend the Spanish democracy. From that moment the coup could be considered failed

The King´s speechAddressing all Spaniards, with brevity and concision:

"In the extraordinary circumstances that we are currently experiencing, I ask of everyone the greatest serenity and confidence and I inform you all that I have given the Captains General of the military, the navy, and the air force the following order:

"Given the situation created by the events that took place in the Palace of

Congress and to avoid any possible confusion, I confirm that I have ordered Civil Authorities and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to take all necessary measures to maintain constitutional order, within the law."Should any measure of a military nature need to be taken, it must be approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"The Crown, the symbol of the permanence and unity of the nation, cannot tolerate, in any form, actions or attitudes of people attempting by force to interrupt the democratic process of the constitution, which the Spanish people determined at the time of the referendum.

All countries of European Community condemned the coup, especially vigorous was Margaret Tatcher, who described the coup as terrorist act.

Alexander Haig, Secretary of State of USA, was neutral and declared the coup was an internal affair of Spaniards. At the next day USA rectified and supported the Spanish democracy

A few hours after the King´s speech Milans del Bosch removed tanks and troops from the Valencia streets and Tejero abandoned the Congress of Deputies.

Both and many others were arrested the next days.

Tejero and his “guardia civiles” abandoning the Congress of Deputies

A day after the coup (24th February) a huge demostration in Madrid and in another cities showed the most of Spanish people was in favor of democracy and against freedom

In the trial against the responsible people 12 military men, 17 policemen (members of the Guardia Civil) and a civilian were sentenced to years of imprisonment (from 30 to 1 years)

All the military and policemen accused in the trial posed in this picture

Some enigmas and Theories of ConspiracyWho was the real lider of coup, whose key name was “White Elephant”?

Was the King involved indirectly in the coup and he changed his opinion later?

The journalist Pilar Urbano suggested in this book the King was indirectly involved in the coup.