Spain released previously classified documents related to the 23-F coup attempt of February 1981, when military officers stormed Parliament. The files had been sealed for 45 years. BBC, Euronews, and Access Info Europe confirmed the release.
“Spain released previously classified documents related to the 23-F coup attempt of February 1981, when military officers stormed Parliament. The files had been sealed for 45 years. BBC, Euronews, and Access Info Europe confirmed the release.”
On February 23, 1981, armed Civil Guard officers stormed the Spanish Parliament and held lawmakers hostage. It was the most dramatic challenge to Spanish democracy since Franco's death. For 45 years, the full truth was classified. Now the files are out.
Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero led 200 Civil Guard officers into Congress, firing shots into the ceiling. King Juan Carlos I appeared on television to order the military back to barracks. The coup collapsed. But questions about who was really behind it persisted for decades.
Access Info Europe celebrated the release as a landmark moment for transparency. Euronews reported on the 45-year delay. The BBC confirmed Spain's decision to finally open the classified files.
The extended classification period — far beyond standard timelines — suggests the files contain information that powerful interests wanted buried. The connections between the coup plotters, intelligence services, and surviving political figures may explain the delay.
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