A group of coup plotters with ties to Tejero planned to kill Juan Carlos I

BarcelonaThree months before February 23rd, there were already rumors of sabers in Spain. Alfonso Suárez's government was weakened and, within the Civil Guard, ideas and plans were already circulating about how to sabotage the constitutional regime. Some of them are detailed in an unsigned document, dated November 1980, which is among those declassified this Wednesday —and that some books on February 23rd had already been hinting at—. According to this report, consulted by the ARA, the coup plotters had planned several roadmaps to get rid of Suárez and replace his government with one more in line with their interests, without going through the ballot boxes under any circumstances. And, within the various factions of the military, there was a group linked to Operation Galaxia —another coup d'état plan from 1978 which also featured Antonio Tejero as the protagonist— which planned to kill King Juan Carlos I if he did not align himself with the new regime on the day of the coup d'état.

"Regarding the king, his escape, as well as that of ministers and prominent figures, would be prevented, subordinating the existence of the Crown and the life of its holder to the acceptance of the fait accompli," the document states, reflecting the position of this group, which in no case linked other leaders of the coup attempt, such as Lieutenant General Jaime Milans del Bosch. Not controlling the monarch was, also according to the coup plotters, one of the keys to the coup's failure. Another declassified report —in this case, after February 23rd, but prepared by the same person, as it has the same handwriting— states that at the coup plotters' military summit, they admitted as an error having "left the Bourbon free and treated him like a gentleman".

The document, until now in the possession of the Civil Guard, outlines three different paths to achieve a regime change: the civil, the military, and a mixed one. Regarding the military path, the report identifies three different positions within the army: that of the lieutenant generals, that of the colonels, and that of a third group identified as "spontaneous" ["spontaneous", sic, in the handwritten document]. What is known about this group? The report suggests that they had already emerged in Operation Galaxia, the plan drawn up by Antonio Tejero, Ricardo Sáenz de Ynestrillas, and a Colonel from the General Staff, and that they thought it was best to "move forward given the lack of unanimous military consensus" on the coup.

Fraga, possible civil leader

The operation of this group of "spontaneous" individuals, with the support of "numerous local-level groups" from the organizational structure of the Civil Guard, did not have a closed "program" of action. However, the report warns that, despite this, it was viable and there could have been active connections between these conspirators and those who were trying to draw up a roadmap for the coup from the colonels' ranks. "[There are] serious fears that the event may be executed and succeed," the document states, warning of the risk of a division of the armed forces "with the danger of civil war".

The report also notes that there were "rumors" that Manuel Fraga was in contact with the conspiring colonels. Furthermore, the lieutenant generals also saw Fraga as the leader who should civilly lead the coup and convince the generals, while warning that, within the armed forces, there was a rejection of organizing a regime with a "Pinochet or Videla type" prominence for the military.

Within the civil path, various options were considered to overthrow Suárez's government, such as a coalition with the UCD critics and the ex-Francoist sector, a PSOE and Alianza Popular government, or a socialist government. This last scenario is what the report saw as most viable, provided that a liberal-profile general was incorporated as president with the support of the Crown. A formula combining the civil and military paths was also considered, with a mixed government supported by the PSOE and the UCD among political leaders and army members, and which, at the time of the report's writing, had allegedly been in the making for a year.

A second coup d'etat

Another of the handwritten documents states that, after February 23rd, another group of military personnel became active again with the idea of trying again. According to this information, Lieutenant General Jesús González del Yerro, who was at odds with Milans del Bosch, would have taken the lead in the assault, and he was the first military commander to oppose the coup on February 23rd, 1981, and called the king to place himself at his orders. However, according to this information, this did not mean that he had any intention of respecting the democratic regime, but rather that he would not have agreed with how February 23rd had been orchestrated.

To undertake this new coup attempt, González del Yerro would have sought the support of Commander José Luis Cortina, from CESID. Cortina is one of the six secret service agents who would have been involved in February 23rd, according to documents revealed today, although he was acquitted in the February 23rd trial. "Work is underway at full speed so that before the end of May or early June the military coup planned by Armada takes place", meaning it would lead to a national unity government. The term "constitutional coup" is even mentioned, in conjunction with the Crown and a UCD-PSOE coalition government.

In contrast to the "constitutional coup," another option was to carry out a "coup d'etat in the Turkish style." "This coup would also have the king's support (unconfirmed), and once Spanish life was normalized and terrorism appeased, it would propose the re-establishment of political normality and the return of parties," the document adds. Theoretically, it would have the support of "the civil sector close to Fraga and the sectors close to Francoism would be marginalized" to "save appearances".

A possible date and place for the second coup attempt are even mentioned: "On July 24th, the king's saint's day is celebrated at the Royal Palace." Not only the monarch, but also members of the Spanish government, deputies, and senators were to be present there. However, the presence of the diplomatic corps of other countries is pointed out as an inconvenience. "The occasion would be ideal as all the circumstances of February 23rd would be greatly enhanced." "In any case, the most urgent thing is to become aware that another military operation of incalculable consequences has been launched with González del Yerro at the head and Cortina's apparatus," it concludes. This coup did not succeed, but the so-called Operation Halcón did take shape, which was dismantled and aimed to unseat the government after the 1982 elections, which Felipe González won.