Spain releases secret documents from 1981 coup after 45 years

2026-02-25 17:18:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Spain on Wednesday released 153 classified documents related to the failed military coup of February 23, 1981, also known as 23-F, ending 45 years of secrecy surrounding one of the most dramatic moments in the southern European country's transition to democracy.

The documents were made available on the La Moncloa government website as of midday on Wednesday, following the publication of a ministerial order in the Official State Gazette that removed the classified status.

The publication includes transcripts of telephone conversations between military commanders, intelligence reports from the former CESID intelligence service, and data from the defense, interior and foreign ministries during the 18-hour parliamentary hostage crisis, which collapsed shortly after being denounced by the king.

The release represents about a quarter of the total documentation found so far, according to the government. The documents are transcripts only and do not include audio recordings.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the declassification earlier this week, calling it an act to "resolve a historical debt with citizens" on the 45th anniversary of the 23rd coup attempt.

"Memory cannot be locked away," Sánchez wrote in X. "Democracies must recognize their past to build a freer future."

Government spokeswoman Elma Saiz said on Tuesday that the publication represents "all the documentation" found in government ministries related to the coup.

However, the full judicial summary of the trial in the Supreme Court remains classified, as the government has authority only over the executive branch archives.

What do the documents reveal?

Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero and 200 armed Civil Guard officers attacked the Congress of Deputies on February 23, 1981 during a vote to confirm Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo as prime minister.

The officers held parliamentarians and ministers hostage for 18 hours, while General Jaime Milans del Bosch deployed tanks in Valencia.

General Alfonso Armada, who had served in the royal family, tried to position himself as a savior who would form a coalition government.

Declassified materials show conversations between coup plotters, including instructions to “shoot to kill” after an initial warning shot and references to having “tanks and chariots” ready for deployment.

A document records that King Juan Carlos I heard about the coup via radio at 6:22 pm on February 23, 1981, according to the notes of his Secretary General Sabino Fernández Campos.

The Spanish monarch was listening to a live broadcast of the parliamentary vote to confirm Calvo Sotelo as prime minister when Tejeros' forces forced their way into the chamber.

King Juan Carlos I denounced the coup in a televised speech shortly after 1 a.m. on February 24, calling for the continuation of the rule of law and democratic governance. The coup ended a few hours later.

The materials also include intelligence reports on pro-coup factions within the military after the failed attempt, indicating concern about possible future plots.

A trial in the Supreme Court sentenced Milans del Bosch, Armada, and Tejero to 30 years in prison as the main instigators of 23-F.

The military uprising arose from deep unrest within some parts of the Spanish armed forces over the country's democratic transition after 40 years of Francisco Franco's dictatorship.

Spain faced an economic crisis that caused unemployment of almost 20% and inflation of 16%, while military hardliners rejected the new political model and believed that strong authority was essential to governance.

They were further irritated by the ongoing violence by the Basque separatist group ETA, the complications over a territorial reorganization that would grant further autonomy to the regions, and the increasingly diminished influence of the military in society.

Will Spain rework its state secrets law?

The declassification comes at a time when the parliamentary process for a Classified Information Bill remains deadlocked in Congress.

The bill, approved by the Council of Ministers in July and sent to parliament on July 22, would replace the 1968 Official Secrets Law passed during Franco's dictatorship.

The proposed legislation would establish a 25-year limit on classified information, with 10-year extensions available in exceptional circumstances and automatic declassification after 10 years for lower-level classified matters.

Opposition parties have criticized the timing of the release, with some accusing the government of political opportunism.

However, historians and civil society groups have welcomed greater transparency since the events that took place around 23-F more than four decades ago./ CNA