Spain is experiencing a historic moment of reckoning with its past. On the day key intelligence documents concerning the attempted coup d'état of February 23, 1981, were declassified, the last of the main plotters, Antonio Tejero, died. The new materials shed light on the stance of the military command and the role of the monarchy, sparking intense public debate about the foundations of Spanish democracy and the process of political transition.

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Spanish public opinion is analyzing an unprecedented collection of documents concerning the attempted 23-F coup. The declassification of the materials coincided with the funeral of Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero, who stormed the Congress of Deputies in 1981. During the funeral service in Xàtiva, the deceased's son, priest Ramón Tejero, defended his father's actions, describing them as fulfilling a "sacred duty" to the homeland. These words were met with criticism from democratic circles, which point to dangerous attempts to relativize history. Analysis of the declassified intelligence files (CESID) reveals the extent of the army's penetration by the conspirators and the hesitations of some commanders. The documents indicate that General Coloma Gallegos, then Captain General of Catalonia, was inclined to join the rebellion. Agents' notes from the later trial period also suggest that the defense of the accused deliberately sought to undermine the authority of King Juan Carlos I, attempting to implicate the monarchy in responsibility for the plot. Media outlets emphasize that the new documentation dispels some of the myths that have grown around the transición, showing how fragile Spanish democracy was at the time. Antonio Tejero spent 15 years in prison, being conditionally released in 1996 as the last of the coup participants who remained behind bars.Simultaneously with the historical debate, the Spanish justice system is grappling with current scandals. The Audiencia Nacional has taken over the Plus Ultra case due to its complexity, which is linked to a broader investigation known as the "Caso Koldo." This case involves suspicions of corruption and abuses in the purchase of protective equipment during the pandemic. The Senate has summoned Isabel Pardo de Vera for questioning for the third time to clarify her connections to the main suspects.

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