Feijóo calls for Juan Carlos I to return to Spain after the declassification of the 23-F coup attempt

MadridThe declassification of the February 23rd documents supports the official version And it reaffirms that it was the emeritus king who stopped the coup. This account is what led the People's Party (PP) to defend Juan Carlos I the very day after this documentation was made public. "I believe it would be desirable for the emeritus king to return to Spain," stated Alberto Núñez Feijóo in a message on X. According to the PP leader, the information revealed this Wednesday should lead to a "reconciliation" of Spaniards "with the one who stopped the coup." "He himself has acknowledged undeniable errors in his career, but someone who contributed to upholding our democracy and our freedoms at a crucial moment should spend the final stage of his life with dignity and in his own country," Feijóo argued.

The role of Juan Carlos I in the 23-F coup attempt has been shrouded in doubt since 1981. One of the questions raised by the declassification was whether the 153 previously secret documents from the Ministries of Defense, the Interior, and Foreign Affairs would contain any evidence against the former monarch. Did he know a coup was being planned? Did he promote or endorse it? Why did he wait hours to publicly condemn it? What was his relationship with the coup plotters before and during the 23-F coup attempt? The published documents, which still leave unanswered questions, have not revealed any information that confirms the suspicions surrounding the former king; rather, they contribute to portraying him as the savior of the nation.

Five and a half years ago, Juan Carlos I moved to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), pursued by scandals of alleged corruption surrounding his fortune and personal life. Since then, the former king has made occasional visits to Spain, but has remained removed from the institutional activities of the Royal Household. His absence last November was particularly noteworthy. in the events commemorating the 50th anniversary of Franco's death and the restoration of the monarchyThroughout this time, Felipe VI has distanced himself from his father to prevent his father's tarnished image from affecting him and his daughters. However, although the current monarch avoids appearing with him publicly, Felipe VI did take advantage of the anniversary to praise his father's role in the establishment of democracy. "The firm will of the Crown contributed decisively," the monarch said.

The declassification has reinforced this narrative, the official one about the Transition, which has now led Feijóo to open the debate about the possible return of Juan Carlos I. Sources at La Moncloa, consulted by ARA, are passing the buck to the Royal Household. "The emeritus king can return whenever he wants. No one has denied him entry to Spain. It's up to him to return. It's a matter for the Royal Household, not the government or the leader of the opposition," stated sources within the Spanish government, which also took the opportunity to criticize Feijóo for labeling the decision to declassify the documents a "smokescreen." "We're glad he now finds it useful and revealing," they quipped. As for Sumar, the minority faction within the coalition, they opined that what Juan Carlos I does is "not relevant," but rather reforming the Francoist law on official secrets.

Emeritus King's Disagreement

In the memoirs he published a few months ago under the title of ReconciliationIn his book, the former king expresses his desire to return to Spain to spend his final days. Juan Carlos I asserts his role as a guarantor of democracy after the Franco dictatorship and criticizes the Spanish government. The former monarch expresses resentment toward Pedro Sánchez's administration, which he blames for his estrangement from his son and the ostracism he suffers. In the book, the emeritus king accuses the Spanish government of weakening democracy every time it has supposedly criticized the king. "When the current government discredits me, it weakens our Constitution, calls into question the progress of the democratic transition and our reconciliation," he states.