Summary
Spain released documents about a 1981 attempted coup to counteract conspiracy theories. The coup involved armed officers who tried to overthrow Spain's new democracy, but the attempt failed after King Juan Carlos refused to support them. The release coincided with the death of Antonio Tejero Molina, the coup leader.
Key Facts
- The Spanish government made public documents related to a failed coup from February 23, 1981.
- The coup involved armed officers storming the parliament to stop democracy and bring back authoritarian rule.
- King Juan Carlos did not support the coup, and his televised message played a key role in stopping it.
- The released files consist of 153 documents, including police reports and official conversations.
- No new explosive information was found in the files, though some intelligence service involvement was noted.
- The release aims to end conspiracy theories about the king's role and reinforce Spain's democratic history.
- The coup leader, Antonio Tejero Molina, died on the same day the documents were released.
- After the coup failed, foreign governments, including Britain, expressed support for Spain's democracy.
