(King Juan Carlos of Spain issued a statement condemning the coup attempt that had occurred just hours earlier on 23 Feb 1981 (AFP PHOTO / CASA REAL / HANDOUT)),
Spain has declassified documents related to the 1981 coup attempt, aiming to help put an end to the various conspiracy theories about the event that have circulated over the past several decades.
On Wednesday, 24 Feb 2026 GMT+7, the Spanish government released 153 documents related to the coup attempt 45 years ago, a significant historic event for the country, hoping this would help dispel the conspiracy theories that emerged afterward.
The coup took place on 23 Feb 1981, when a group of armed officers led by Antonio Tejero Molina stormed the main chamber of the national parliament, threatening politicians while a new government was being sworn in, intending to return the country to dictatorship. However, the attempt failed because King Juan Carlos refused to support it.
Since that incident, numerous conspiracy theories have arisen, including suspicions that the king may have had prior knowledge of the coup or even allegations that he was actively involved in the event.
The release of these documents coincided with the death of Tejero, the coup leader, who passed away at the age of 93.
The disclosure generated such high public interest that the government website hosting the documents temporarily crashed.
These documents consist of police and judicial reports, transcripts of conversations among officials, and reactions from foreign governments to the event. However, the documents do not appear to contain any shocking or highly controversial information as some had anticipated.
For many Spaniards, the 1981 coup attempt reinforced King Juan Carlos's status as the "savior" of the newly established democracy and symbolized the country's rejection of Francoist values, following the death of former dictator Franco in 1975, which paved the way for democracy.
Nonetheless, over the decades, some have questioned the king’s seemingly heroic role, with other theories suggesting the uprising may have been "staged" by political powers to create a situation that would strengthen the country's democracy.
The current government, led by socialist Pedro Sánchez, has described the prior secrecy surrounding these documents as a "historical irregularity" that needed correction. They stated that revealing these documents posed no risk to anyone.
Additionally, the government said declassifying these documents would undermine the credibility of those spreading false conspiracy theories about the coup.
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Source:bbc