I left the Damn City by night, alone, under the rain, like a thief. I was walking down the streets, looking for the end of the agony. The city was dark, it was looking at me, and laughing. Like the last time, when I had to flee, beaten, humiliated, from this Damn City. I looked for a way to escape, it wasn't easy. All the roads were closed, all the people were unfriendly. The only way I found played with me the macabre game of make my desperation bigger. Minutes passed by, slowly, raindrops over my head, running, hiding, fighting to escape the Damn City.
I remember when the Damn City was my dream city. When all my goals lied in those streets, when all my dreams were living there. But you twisted those goals, you changed those dreams into nightmares. Damn you, Damn City. I flew, but you managed to bring me back. Once again, I was your prisoner, fighting against you in a fight that I couldn't win. But I was a fool. I believed that I was invencible against your weapons. I believed that I had the shield that would deflect all your blows. I believed, that time, I could win. And, of course, I didn't. In the middle of the fight, I realized that I wasn't invincible, that my shield was useless against you. But again, I faced you. And, again, you humiliated me.
Finally, I left the Damn City again. Again, I left it beaten full of grief and sorrow. Swallowing my anger and my pain. Again, Damn City, you won. I don't know if someday we'll fight again. But now, you won. You're the owner of the power. You, Damn City. And, sadly, I don't know If I'll be able to defeat you.........
I curse you, Damn City.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Permanent Ceasefire
This mornig, at 12:30h, ETA, Euskadi ta Askatasuna (Basque Land and Freedom) declared a permanent ceasefire to encourage the democratic process that is happening in the Basque Country to achieve peace. Here is the text in english of the communication of ETA declaring this permanent ceasefire:
Message from Euskadi Ta Askatasuna [Eta] to the Basque people.
Euskadi Ta Askatasuna has decided to declare a permanent ceasefire from 24 March 2006.
The aim of this decision is to promote a democratic process in Euskal Herria [the Basque Country] in order to build a new framework within which our rights as a people are recognised, and guarantee the opportunity to develop all political options in the future.
At the end of this process, Basque citizens must have a say on their future.
The Spanish and French states must recognise the results of this democratic process, without limitations of any kind. The decision we Basque citizens make on our future will have to be respected.
We call on all the interested parties to act responsibly and to be consistent with the step taken by Eta.
Eta calls on the Spanish and French authorities to respond positively to this new situation, leaving repression aside.
Lastly, we call on Basque men and women to get involved in this process and to fight for our rights as a people.
Eta is showing its desire and will for the process opened to reach its end, thereby achieving a truly democratic situation for Euskal Herria, ending the long years of conflict and building a peace based on justice.
We reaffirm our commitment to continue taking steps in the future in accordance with this decision.
Ending the conflict, here and now, is possible. This is the desire and the will of Eta.
Euskal Herria, March 2006
Euskadi Ta Askatasuna
Eta
First, I published a homemade translation of the message. Now is the translation made by the BBC.
Message from Euskadi Ta Askatasuna [Eta] to the Basque people.
Euskadi Ta Askatasuna has decided to declare a permanent ceasefire from 24 March 2006.
The aim of this decision is to promote a democratic process in Euskal Herria [the Basque Country] in order to build a new framework within which our rights as a people are recognised, and guarantee the opportunity to develop all political options in the future.
At the end of this process, Basque citizens must have a say on their future.
The Spanish and French states must recognise the results of this democratic process, without limitations of any kind. The decision we Basque citizens make on our future will have to be respected.
We call on all the interested parties to act responsibly and to be consistent with the step taken by Eta.
Eta calls on the Spanish and French authorities to respond positively to this new situation, leaving repression aside.
Lastly, we call on Basque men and women to get involved in this process and to fight for our rights as a people.
Eta is showing its desire and will for the process opened to reach its end, thereby achieving a truly democratic situation for Euskal Herria, ending the long years of conflict and building a peace based on justice.
We reaffirm our commitment to continue taking steps in the future in accordance with this decision.
Ending the conflict, here and now, is possible. This is the desire and the will of Eta.
Euskal Herria, March 2006
Euskadi Ta Askatasuna
Eta
First, I published a homemade translation of the message. Now is the translation made by the BBC.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Botellón
Ok, We had enough of mental deviations of a mad mind, It's time for some social message.
Botellón. This is a spanish word that means literally "Huge Bottle". It represents the custom of the spanish youth people to meet in open spaces to drink alcohol. It's a form of social interaction where all the social constraints are left behind and where they can be wild and free. Of course, this is the perception of the people who participate in the "Botellón".
Bad side of this: Too much alcohol means health problems, fightings, civil disorder.
Since the government of the Popular Party in Spain, the Botellón is forbidden in some regions of the Country. In others is allowed and in other is in this lovely limbus of the "alegal". Why the "Botellón" was forbidden? The right wing policies implies a paternalistic point of view. Please, note the word PATERnalistic. It means that the young people don't know what to do with their lives and, therefore, they have to abide to old people rules. The PP believed that the Botellón was a harmful thing for the youth, so, instead of looking for solutions (another characteristic of the right wing policies) just forbade it. This social interaction mechanism, that was accepted by the spanish society, in its particular way of accepting things, was declared ilegal. All the youth who used to drink in the streets started to hide in houses, small alleys, they started to rent venues to drink, to have this moment of freedom, alone, in clandestinity and with fewer people than before.
Before going on, some acclarations. In Spain, comparing to other european countries, alcohol is relatively cheap. Wine is ridiculously cheap (Bad wine) and mixed with Coke, you'll have the most famous Basque cocktail (Kalimotxo or Calimocho), now is drunk all over Spain. The factors are: youth people (16-25 years old), low income and a great need of interaction with other youth people. More than an opportunity to get drunk, the Botellón is an great moment to try to impress this girl, or try to know some friends, or try to impress this boy..... Is much less violent to a youth get involved in this social manners in the Botellón than in a Bar or a Pub. And, finally, Bars and Pubs in Spain are mostly noisy and small places where the opportunities to talk and to interact are hampered, comparing to the Botellón. But, more important than this, in a Bar or a Pub the youth are not the owners of the situation. The mood depends of the Dj's music, and everything is finished when the bar is closed. The Botellón is a property of the youth. They decide when to start, when to finish, and How much to drink. It's their moment.
These days something strange is happening in Spain. Lots of youth people are meeting together to do Macro-Botellón. The right wing politicians started to say that this is an exercise of irresponsability. The government answered in different ways, depending of the place. In Madrid and Barcelona the police tried to stop it. In Granada, the council prepared a place to let the people meet. I think the Granada case is an example to follow. I see the Botellón as an exercise of rebellion. They need their moment, they need their place. And they will decide when and where. Of course, the Botellón has lots of bad things, like I exposed before, but they need it. They feel free. They are not asking for permission, they are creating and making a space to feel youth. They are, after all, opening spaces. All will finish with a big headache the next morning, or with a bunch of new friends, or with a new girlfriend or boyfriend. And, yes, maybe they will wake up in a hospital with too much alcohol in blood. But life goes on, years come and pass, and they will change they behaviour and they'll look for other spaces and other forms of creativity. Like we did before. This is a clear example of civil struggle, of civil society in direct conflict with the state to transform a system they feel unjust. Organized youth people in a ways never imagined before, looking for a change.
So, if you're in Spain and you feel youth, go to the Botellón. Maybe is not comparable to the cultural movements of the 60's, but is their movement. And that's why it needs all the support.
Botellón libre ya!!!
Botellón. This is a spanish word that means literally "Huge Bottle". It represents the custom of the spanish youth people to meet in open spaces to drink alcohol. It's a form of social interaction where all the social constraints are left behind and where they can be wild and free. Of course, this is the perception of the people who participate in the "Botellón".
Bad side of this: Too much alcohol means health problems, fightings, civil disorder.
Since the government of the Popular Party in Spain, the Botellón is forbidden in some regions of the Country. In others is allowed and in other is in this lovely limbus of the "alegal". Why the "Botellón" was forbidden? The right wing policies implies a paternalistic point of view. Please, note the word PATERnalistic. It means that the young people don't know what to do with their lives and, therefore, they have to abide to old people rules. The PP believed that the Botellón was a harmful thing for the youth, so, instead of looking for solutions (another characteristic of the right wing policies) just forbade it. This social interaction mechanism, that was accepted by the spanish society, in its particular way of accepting things, was declared ilegal. All the youth who used to drink in the streets started to hide in houses, small alleys, they started to rent venues to drink, to have this moment of freedom, alone, in clandestinity and with fewer people than before.
Before going on, some acclarations. In Spain, comparing to other european countries, alcohol is relatively cheap. Wine is ridiculously cheap (Bad wine) and mixed with Coke, you'll have the most famous Basque cocktail (Kalimotxo or Calimocho), now is drunk all over Spain. The factors are: youth people (16-25 years old), low income and a great need of interaction with other youth people. More than an opportunity to get drunk, the Botellón is an great moment to try to impress this girl, or try to know some friends, or try to impress this boy..... Is much less violent to a youth get involved in this social manners in the Botellón than in a Bar or a Pub. And, finally, Bars and Pubs in Spain are mostly noisy and small places where the opportunities to talk and to interact are hampered, comparing to the Botellón. But, more important than this, in a Bar or a Pub the youth are not the owners of the situation. The mood depends of the Dj's music, and everything is finished when the bar is closed. The Botellón is a property of the youth. They decide when to start, when to finish, and How much to drink. It's their moment.
These days something strange is happening in Spain. Lots of youth people are meeting together to do Macro-Botellón. The right wing politicians started to say that this is an exercise of irresponsability. The government answered in different ways, depending of the place. In Madrid and Barcelona the police tried to stop it. In Granada, the council prepared a place to let the people meet. I think the Granada case is an example to follow. I see the Botellón as an exercise of rebellion. They need their moment, they need their place. And they will decide when and where. Of course, the Botellón has lots of bad things, like I exposed before, but they need it. They feel free. They are not asking for permission, they are creating and making a space to feel youth. They are, after all, opening spaces. All will finish with a big headache the next morning, or with a bunch of new friends, or with a new girlfriend or boyfriend. And, yes, maybe they will wake up in a hospital with too much alcohol in blood. But life goes on, years come and pass, and they will change they behaviour and they'll look for other spaces and other forms of creativity. Like we did before. This is a clear example of civil struggle, of civil society in direct conflict with the state to transform a system they feel unjust. Organized youth people in a ways never imagined before, looking for a change.
So, if you're in Spain and you feel youth, go to the Botellón. Maybe is not comparable to the cultural movements of the 60's, but is their movement. And that's why it needs all the support.
Botellón libre ya!!!
Parecidos Razonables.... Chapter uan. (one)
Hace poco, un buen hermano mio me ha dicho que estoy muy reflexivo. Es posible que tenga razon. Es mas, quiero que tenga razon. Por lo tanto, aqui va mi primer capitulo de parecidos razonables. Ayer tuve un momento agridulce, bien,vale, fue mas dulce que agrio, pero eso me lleva a pensar en el parecido existente entre......
VIDA - COMIDA CHINA
¿En que se parece la vida a la comida china?
Veamos un ingrediente tipico de la comida china: La salsa agridulce. En la vida hay momentos agrios, dulces y momentos agridulces. Esto nos lleva a decir que la vida es agridulce. Ahora se le añade el elemento solido. Miramos nuestro zodiaco chino y.... et voila!!! Tenemos un plato de animal con salsa agridulce. Mi vida, por ejemplo es un plato de Conejo con Salsa Agridulce. Es cierto que hay gente que su vida es Rata con Salsa Agridulce, pero todo es probar. Si tienes suerte tu eres de los de Cerdo Agridulce.
Pero sigamos. Hay momentos exoticos, de los de Familia en el Nido u Hormigas en la Rama del Arbol, tambien hay momentos elegantes, con Ternera y Salsa de Ostras, divertidos, de rollitos de primavera y llenos de energia, como el arroz tres delicias.
Pero.... la vida tambien tiene momentos malos. Gambas Kompao con salsa picante o, mucho peor, cuando te sientes hecho un Chop-Suey.
Incluso un menu tipico en un restaurante chino es muy parecido al devenir de la vida:
Comienzas alegre, con un rollito de primavera. De niños tenemos nuestras primeras ilusiones y decepciones, por eso le ponemos Salsa Agridulce. Un dia, ves que hay gente de otro sexo por la calle. Te llenas de energia y estas creciendo, en todos los sentidos. Ese arroz tres delicias, con toda la excitacion del momento representa nuestra adolescencia. Ni que decir que un Kubak con Gambas hace nuestra vida mucho mas interesante. Sigamos. Hemos crecido, tenemos responsabilidades, buscamos algo solido. Pollo con Almendras. Nos empezamos a volver exquisitos. Pato estilo Pekin. Tenemos nuestros momentos de dolor. Gambas Kompao. Para representar todas las decepciones de la vida y la dieta de los ultimos años, Chop-Suey de verduras. Y como termina nuestra vida? Mas quemados que la moto de un hippy. Platano flambeado,o Helado Frito, que es como estamos todos en la vejez.
Pagas, te mueres.....
Y viene el camarero e invita a chupitos para brindar a tu salud. Licor de lagarto. La vida misma.
Asi que ya sabeis, la proxima vez que vayais a un restaurante chino... pensad en el sentido de la vida.
I like Chinese...... I like Chinese..... They only come up to you knees, Yet they're always friendly and they're ready to to please.......
VIDA - COMIDA CHINA
¿En que se parece la vida a la comida china?
Veamos un ingrediente tipico de la comida china: La salsa agridulce. En la vida hay momentos agrios, dulces y momentos agridulces. Esto nos lleva a decir que la vida es agridulce. Ahora se le añade el elemento solido. Miramos nuestro zodiaco chino y.... et voila!!! Tenemos un plato de animal con salsa agridulce. Mi vida, por ejemplo es un plato de Conejo con Salsa Agridulce. Es cierto que hay gente que su vida es Rata con Salsa Agridulce, pero todo es probar. Si tienes suerte tu eres de los de Cerdo Agridulce.
Pero sigamos. Hay momentos exoticos, de los de Familia en el Nido u Hormigas en la Rama del Arbol, tambien hay momentos elegantes, con Ternera y Salsa de Ostras, divertidos, de rollitos de primavera y llenos de energia, como el arroz tres delicias.
Pero.... la vida tambien tiene momentos malos. Gambas Kompao con salsa picante o, mucho peor, cuando te sientes hecho un Chop-Suey.
Incluso un menu tipico en un restaurante chino es muy parecido al devenir de la vida:
Comienzas alegre, con un rollito de primavera. De niños tenemos nuestras primeras ilusiones y decepciones, por eso le ponemos Salsa Agridulce. Un dia, ves que hay gente de otro sexo por la calle. Te llenas de energia y estas creciendo, en todos los sentidos. Ese arroz tres delicias, con toda la excitacion del momento representa nuestra adolescencia. Ni que decir que un Kubak con Gambas hace nuestra vida mucho mas interesante. Sigamos. Hemos crecido, tenemos responsabilidades, buscamos algo solido. Pollo con Almendras. Nos empezamos a volver exquisitos. Pato estilo Pekin. Tenemos nuestros momentos de dolor. Gambas Kompao. Para representar todas las decepciones de la vida y la dieta de los ultimos años, Chop-Suey de verduras. Y como termina nuestra vida? Mas quemados que la moto de un hippy. Platano flambeado,o Helado Frito, que es como estamos todos en la vejez.
Pagas, te mueres.....
Y viene el camarero e invita a chupitos para brindar a tu salud. Licor de lagarto. La vida misma.
Asi que ya sabeis, la proxima vez que vayais a un restaurante chino... pensad en el sentido de la vida.
I like Chinese...... I like Chinese..... They only come up to you knees, Yet they're always friendly and they're ready to to please.......
Thursday, March 16, 2006
What happens when you're a good guy....
What happens when you're a good guy?????
Nothing good, really.
The girl you want doesn't like you.
The people you trust only try to take advantage of it.
Your family don't like your way and tell you: Don't be a good guy!!!!
So, what're the options???
Of course, the most obvious is to be a mean guy.
The girl you want will like you
The people you trust will never try to get an advantage over you.
Your family will tell you: Yes, this life is hard, you have to be that way.
But, for me, I'll try to be as always, a good guy.
Because the girl I like will never find a guy who love her more than me
Because the people I trust will never have the support they have in me
Because my family like me this way
And, more important, love is the only thing that make us remember....
And love
love
Love could only be given if your a good person....
That's why I want to be a good guy
That's why I'm a good guy
Because I want to.
I love you.
Nothing good, really.
The girl you want doesn't like you.
The people you trust only try to take advantage of it.
Your family don't like your way and tell you: Don't be a good guy!!!!
So, what're the options???
Of course, the most obvious is to be a mean guy.
The girl you want will like you
The people you trust will never try to get an advantage over you.
Your family will tell you: Yes, this life is hard, you have to be that way.
But, for me, I'll try to be as always, a good guy.
Because the girl I like will never find a guy who love her more than me
Because the people I trust will never have the support they have in me
Because my family like me this way
And, more important, love is the only thing that make us remember....
And love
love
Love could only be given if your a good person....
That's why I want to be a good guy
That's why I'm a good guy
Because I want to.
I love you.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
It happened 25 years ago......
25 years ago, just the same day than today, my mom was celebrating her 25th birthday. I was barely 5. But all this happines that happened in a small house of the Basque Country was stopped.
¡Quieto todo el mundo! (Everybody, Freeze!!! r.t.). The order that Lieutenant Coronel Antonio Tejero gave as he came in the spanish congress is still fresh in the memories of a country. The 23th of February of 1981, the deputies were voting the designation of Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo as the new spanish Prime Minister (Note: in Spain the Prime Minister is called "Presidente"). "!Al Suelo, todos al suelo!"(¡Down, everybody down!, r.t), a civil guard screamed before a submachine gun roar made the deputies, except Adolfo Suarez, Santiago Carrillo and the Army General Manuel Gutierrez Mellado, Minister of Defense-, get hidden below their desks.
Gutierrez Mellado leapt from his chair and confronted the attackers. "¡Denme esa pistola y salga inmediatamente de aqui¡" (¡Give that gun and get out of here, now! r.t.) he ordered Tejero. Some civil guards cought him, and tried to get him down. In his person, they tried to get down the new democratic regime that arrived to Spain in 1975. Only Suarez went in his aid. The smell of pownder and the 37 bullets fired made to almost all the deputies to fear be killed that night. That was the first act that made a whole country don't sleep a whole night. The spanish democracy longest night had begun.
25 years later, the coup d'etat of the 23-F doesn't have too much secrets for the Political Scientists and the specialists. The militar High Command, formed by Generals whom still followed the ideals of Francisco Franco, believed than the new constitution, approved in 1978, was a betrayal of the ideals defended by the Army in the Spanish Civil War. ETA had been assasinated in 1980 91 people, most of them from the military. And the Generals didn't accept the process of political Amnesty, the legalization of the Communist Party and they believed that the new autonomic process was a risk for the national unity of Spain. In the high level circles of the military the idea of coming back to the order and to be harder was very extended. And they believed that this had to be done as soon as possible. And they didn't lose time.
The conspiration for a coup d'etat began months after the death of Francisco Franco, the dictator who ruled Spain since the end of the civil war, in 1939, until 1975. It became more intense in 1977 when the new king, Juan Carlos I, made the substitution of Arias Navarro, a former high level politician in the dictatorship, by Adolfo Suarez, a more moderate and flexible figure, as the head of the government. His policy untied a storm inside the military garrisons and in September of 1977, Admiral Pita da Veiga and the Generals De Santiago, Milans del Bosch, Coloma Gallegos and others, met together in the Valencian city of Xativa to discuss the first serious attempt of coup d'etat. That attempt never happened, but created the enough movement inside the military to prepare something better for the future.
In 16th of November of 1978, barely a month before the constitution was approved, the spanish secret services dismantled the Operacion Galaxia (Operation Galaxy). In this operation, Tejero and the Captain Saenz de Ynestrillas wanted to make a coup d'etat the next day, taking advantage of the King's official trip to Mexico. They were judged and sentenced to minimum time in jail, between six and seven months. Inexplicably, Saenz de Ynestrillas was ascended to Commander.
The intrigue didn't stop and the events came in 1981. The 10th of January, The General Armada met in Valencia with General Milans del Bosch. Days later, Adolfo Suarez resigned as Prime Minister and the coup organizares believed that the king will support a "National Salvation" government ruled by a militar.
Tejero, who didn't let the coup circles, received the 16th of February the approval of General Milans del Bosch to take the Congress, against the ideas of General Armada, who wanted to wait for a more intense coup in May with the support of some General Captains.
¡Ya pueden levantarse! (Now, you can stand r.t.), shouted Tejero to the deputies when he felt the ruler of the parliament. Then, the Captain Jesus Muñecas entered the area and told to the deputies that the genuine authorities will arrive soon to decide what was gonna happen. Of course, those authorities were from the military. The tension went high when Tejero ordered to take out the hemicicle area Adolfo Suarez, Manuel Gutierrez Mellado, Felipe Gonzalez, Alfonso Guerra and Agustin Rodriguez Sahagun. Almost everyone believed not to see them again.
But they were wrong. The PM stayed the hours the coup lasted in a room, guarded by three civil guards. Outside the congress, the civil power was restored. Meanwhile, in La Zarzuela, the royal palace, the King called the General Captains to transmit his rejection to the coup d'etat and his support to the new democratic regime and to the new constitution. This helped to stop the risings in other parts of Spain, but in Valencia General Milans del Bosch ordered the tanks to take the streets.
The King, Juan Carlos I, waited in his residence the arrival of a TVE (Television Española, Spanish Television) camera team. The militars took the TVE sets as well. At one o'clock in the morning, he broadcasted a message condenmning the coup. This message was decisive to the failure of the attempt. Minutes later, Milans del Bosch ordered the tanks to come back to the garrison. Tejero gave up at 11 o'clock in the morning. Meanwhile the civil guards that were with him tried to escape the congress, some by the windows. The deputies were free.
The 23-f attempt was one of the moments where the spanish democracy was most in risk. Today aren't so many secrets about it, but some questions still arise. What was the role of the CESID? (Centro Superior de Informacion de la Defensa, Spanish intelligence service, now known as CNI, Centro Nacional de Inteligencia or National Intelligence Center) this organism was dependant of the military. Why the King didn't support the coup? What was the role of the CIA and the US Embassy that considered the coup a spanish internal issue and later they publicly supported the overcome of the democracy?
Beside all those questions, this episode will be always in the memories of the people who was living there.
Coming back to thst small house in the Basque Country. What were the reactions? Some of my familiy members were amnestied members of ETA, and all my mothers familiy had ties with the new nationalism that just achieved power there. We had fresh the killings in the streets that happened the last year. My father wanted to take us to France. I know we weren't the only ones. I was only five, but I will remember my grandma's words to my father:
"Cobarde, he vivido dos guerras y una dictadura. Mi marido estuvo dos años y medio en un barco militar en plena segunda guerra mundial y me mataron a un hermano en la guerra civil. Por que un loco con bigote y una pistola se ponga a gritar en Madrid, yo no me muevo. Y tu y tus hijos, tampoco."
Coward, I lived two wars and a dictatorship. My husband went two years and a half in a military ship in the second world war, a brother was killed in the civil war. I am not gonna move because a crazy man with a big moustache is shouting in Madrid. I am not gonna move, and you and your sons neither."
Thanks for Colpisa.
r.t: Roughly Translated.
Dramatis Personae:
Adolfo Suarez: PM of the spanish government since 1977 to 1981 with the UCD (Union del Centro Democratico, Union of the Democratic Center). One of the key persons in the transition to the democracy. Now is retired from the political life, sadly, suffers a degenerative disease.
Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo: PM from 1981 to 1982 with the UCD. Now is the Major of Ribadesella a very beautiful town in Asturias, north of Spain.
Felipe Gonzalez: PM from 1982 to 1995 with the PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español, Socialist Spanish Party of the Workers) He lost the elections in 1995 against Jose Maria Aznar, of the right wing party PP (Popular Party). He was accused of promoting the dirty war against ETA in the late 80's. Now is retired of the political life.
Manuel Gutierrez Mellado: Former general of the Army. The only one, except Adolfo Suarez who confronted the guards. Deceased
Civil Guard: Spanish Army body who is in charge if some policial issues. The body was one of the keys to the represion in the Basque Country as well in other parts of Spain, killing hundreds in the dictatorship and in the times of the transition.
Antonio Tejero: Lieutenant Coronel (a post between Lieutenant an Coronel) of the Civil Guard, who were convicted after the attempt. Now is free and retired.
Milans del Bosch: General of the Army. The only one who followed the coup ad took a whole city. Decesaed.
Saenz de Ynestrillas: Captain of the Army with an important role in the coup. Were killed by ETA. His son is now one of the most prominent members of the extreme right wing in Spain. Is accused of the killing of two important members of the left nationalist basque party Herri Batasuna, Josu Muguruza and Santi Brouard.
Armada: A General of the Army. At first he rejected any implication in the coup. Later was licensed.
Pilar Maguregui: Egoitz Grandma. Today is 85 and still remembers the time. She don't say anything but I know she was very afraid this time.
Juan Anton: Egoitz Grandpa. I only remember him hugging my mother. Now is 86 with an excellent health state.
Jesus Angel Gago: Egoitz Dad. Revolutionary by the ideals, incompetent by the facts. Now is 52, living with a new wife with a new daughter.
Esperanza Anton: Egoitz Mum. Now, today, is 50. Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!! I only remember her watching my Dad with the most furious sight I ever see.
Iratxe Anton: Egoitz's sister. She was one and was only sleeping. Now She's 26. Almost as beautiful as her brother, and smarter, this for sure.
Me: I was only watching television. Then, the neighbours came and...... Now, I'm 30, I'm a handsome man with a chest full of love and a head full of stories. And with a good understanding of politics, so if you need more information, don't hesitate.
This creates other question: Where were you 25 years ago????
¡Quieto todo el mundo! (Everybody, Freeze!!! r.t.). The order that Lieutenant Coronel Antonio Tejero gave as he came in the spanish congress is still fresh in the memories of a country. The 23th of February of 1981, the deputies were voting the designation of Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo as the new spanish Prime Minister (Note: in Spain the Prime Minister is called "Presidente"). "!Al Suelo, todos al suelo!"(¡Down, everybody down!, r.t), a civil guard screamed before a submachine gun roar made the deputies, except Adolfo Suarez, Santiago Carrillo and the Army General Manuel Gutierrez Mellado, Minister of Defense-, get hidden below their desks.
Gutierrez Mellado leapt from his chair and confronted the attackers. "¡Denme esa pistola y salga inmediatamente de aqui¡" (¡Give that gun and get out of here, now! r.t.) he ordered Tejero. Some civil guards cought him, and tried to get him down. In his person, they tried to get down the new democratic regime that arrived to Spain in 1975. Only Suarez went in his aid. The smell of pownder and the 37 bullets fired made to almost all the deputies to fear be killed that night. That was the first act that made a whole country don't sleep a whole night. The spanish democracy longest night had begun.
25 years later, the coup d'etat of the 23-F doesn't have too much secrets for the Political Scientists and the specialists. The militar High Command, formed by Generals whom still followed the ideals of Francisco Franco, believed than the new constitution, approved in 1978, was a betrayal of the ideals defended by the Army in the Spanish Civil War. ETA had been assasinated in 1980 91 people, most of them from the military. And the Generals didn't accept the process of political Amnesty, the legalization of the Communist Party and they believed that the new autonomic process was a risk for the national unity of Spain. In the high level circles of the military the idea of coming back to the order and to be harder was very extended. And they believed that this had to be done as soon as possible. And they didn't lose time.
The conspiration for a coup d'etat began months after the death of Francisco Franco, the dictator who ruled Spain since the end of the civil war, in 1939, until 1975. It became more intense in 1977 when the new king, Juan Carlos I, made the substitution of Arias Navarro, a former high level politician in the dictatorship, by Adolfo Suarez, a more moderate and flexible figure, as the head of the government. His policy untied a storm inside the military garrisons and in September of 1977, Admiral Pita da Veiga and the Generals De Santiago, Milans del Bosch, Coloma Gallegos and others, met together in the Valencian city of Xativa to discuss the first serious attempt of coup d'etat. That attempt never happened, but created the enough movement inside the military to prepare something better for the future.
In 16th of November of 1978, barely a month before the constitution was approved, the spanish secret services dismantled the Operacion Galaxia (Operation Galaxy). In this operation, Tejero and the Captain Saenz de Ynestrillas wanted to make a coup d'etat the next day, taking advantage of the King's official trip to Mexico. They were judged and sentenced to minimum time in jail, between six and seven months. Inexplicably, Saenz de Ynestrillas was ascended to Commander.
The intrigue didn't stop and the events came in 1981. The 10th of January, The General Armada met in Valencia with General Milans del Bosch. Days later, Adolfo Suarez resigned as Prime Minister and the coup organizares believed that the king will support a "National Salvation" government ruled by a militar.
Tejero, who didn't let the coup circles, received the 16th of February the approval of General Milans del Bosch to take the Congress, against the ideas of General Armada, who wanted to wait for a more intense coup in May with the support of some General Captains.
¡Ya pueden levantarse! (Now, you can stand r.t.), shouted Tejero to the deputies when he felt the ruler of the parliament. Then, the Captain Jesus Muñecas entered the area and told to the deputies that the genuine authorities will arrive soon to decide what was gonna happen. Of course, those authorities were from the military. The tension went high when Tejero ordered to take out the hemicicle area Adolfo Suarez, Manuel Gutierrez Mellado, Felipe Gonzalez, Alfonso Guerra and Agustin Rodriguez Sahagun. Almost everyone believed not to see them again.
But they were wrong. The PM stayed the hours the coup lasted in a room, guarded by three civil guards. Outside the congress, the civil power was restored. Meanwhile, in La Zarzuela, the royal palace, the King called the General Captains to transmit his rejection to the coup d'etat and his support to the new democratic regime and to the new constitution. This helped to stop the risings in other parts of Spain, but in Valencia General Milans del Bosch ordered the tanks to take the streets.
The King, Juan Carlos I, waited in his residence the arrival of a TVE (Television Española, Spanish Television) camera team. The militars took the TVE sets as well. At one o'clock in the morning, he broadcasted a message condenmning the coup. This message was decisive to the failure of the attempt. Minutes later, Milans del Bosch ordered the tanks to come back to the garrison. Tejero gave up at 11 o'clock in the morning. Meanwhile the civil guards that were with him tried to escape the congress, some by the windows. The deputies were free.
The 23-f attempt was one of the moments where the spanish democracy was most in risk. Today aren't so many secrets about it, but some questions still arise. What was the role of the CESID? (Centro Superior de Informacion de la Defensa, Spanish intelligence service, now known as CNI, Centro Nacional de Inteligencia or National Intelligence Center) this organism was dependant of the military. Why the King didn't support the coup? What was the role of the CIA and the US Embassy that considered the coup a spanish internal issue and later they publicly supported the overcome of the democracy?
Beside all those questions, this episode will be always in the memories of the people who was living there.
Coming back to thst small house in the Basque Country. What were the reactions? Some of my familiy members were amnestied members of ETA, and all my mothers familiy had ties with the new nationalism that just achieved power there. We had fresh the killings in the streets that happened the last year. My father wanted to take us to France. I know we weren't the only ones. I was only five, but I will remember my grandma's words to my father:
"Cobarde, he vivido dos guerras y una dictadura. Mi marido estuvo dos años y medio en un barco militar en plena segunda guerra mundial y me mataron a un hermano en la guerra civil. Por que un loco con bigote y una pistola se ponga a gritar en Madrid, yo no me muevo. Y tu y tus hijos, tampoco."
Coward, I lived two wars and a dictatorship. My husband went two years and a half in a military ship in the second world war, a brother was killed in the civil war. I am not gonna move because a crazy man with a big moustache is shouting in Madrid. I am not gonna move, and you and your sons neither."
Thanks for Colpisa.
r.t: Roughly Translated.
Dramatis Personae:
Adolfo Suarez: PM of the spanish government since 1977 to 1981 with the UCD (Union del Centro Democratico, Union of the Democratic Center). One of the key persons in the transition to the democracy. Now is retired from the political life, sadly, suffers a degenerative disease.
Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo: PM from 1981 to 1982 with the UCD. Now is the Major of Ribadesella a very beautiful town in Asturias, north of Spain.
Felipe Gonzalez: PM from 1982 to 1995 with the PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español, Socialist Spanish Party of the Workers) He lost the elections in 1995 against Jose Maria Aznar, of the right wing party PP (Popular Party). He was accused of promoting the dirty war against ETA in the late 80's. Now is retired of the political life.
Manuel Gutierrez Mellado: Former general of the Army. The only one, except Adolfo Suarez who confronted the guards. Deceased
Civil Guard: Spanish Army body who is in charge if some policial issues. The body was one of the keys to the represion in the Basque Country as well in other parts of Spain, killing hundreds in the dictatorship and in the times of the transition.
Antonio Tejero: Lieutenant Coronel (a post between Lieutenant an Coronel) of the Civil Guard, who were convicted after the attempt. Now is free and retired.
Milans del Bosch: General of the Army. The only one who followed the coup ad took a whole city. Decesaed.
Saenz de Ynestrillas: Captain of the Army with an important role in the coup. Were killed by ETA. His son is now one of the most prominent members of the extreme right wing in Spain. Is accused of the killing of two important members of the left nationalist basque party Herri Batasuna, Josu Muguruza and Santi Brouard.
Armada: A General of the Army. At first he rejected any implication in the coup. Later was licensed.
Pilar Maguregui: Egoitz Grandma. Today is 85 and still remembers the time. She don't say anything but I know she was very afraid this time.
Juan Anton: Egoitz Grandpa. I only remember him hugging my mother. Now is 86 with an excellent health state.
Jesus Angel Gago: Egoitz Dad. Revolutionary by the ideals, incompetent by the facts. Now is 52, living with a new wife with a new daughter.
Esperanza Anton: Egoitz Mum. Now, today, is 50. Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!! I only remember her watching my Dad with the most furious sight I ever see.
Iratxe Anton: Egoitz's sister. She was one and was only sleeping. Now She's 26. Almost as beautiful as her brother, and smarter, this for sure.
Me: I was only watching television. Then, the neighbours came and...... Now, I'm 30, I'm a handsome man with a chest full of love and a head full of stories. And with a good understanding of politics, so if you need more information, don't hesitate.
This creates other question: Where were you 25 years ago????
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Oh my senses..... Because, sometimes, you need the impossible to make something possible
A couple of days before, we have a very good night. Lots of friends, lots of good vibes and lots of poetry and music. From this night, I want to share this song. Thank you, Josh. You made it possible.
Hace un par de dias, tuvimos una gran noche. Una noche llena de amigos, buenas vibraciones, musica y poesia. De esa noche, quiero compartir esta cancion. Gracias, Josh, tu lo has hecho posible.
Si alguien quiere la traduccion al español, que me la pida.
Oh My Senses (Oh, mis sentidos)
Isn’t it amazing, the
sunlight on your face?
See the world everything’s right.
See the world everything’s fine.
Isn’t it amazing, the
blue-sky and the clouds?
See the world everything’s right.
See the world everything’s fine.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Isn’t it amazing, the
mountain and the streams?
See the world everything’s right.
See the world everything’s fine.
The morning light is falling bright
into my room, and everything is quiet.
See the world everything’s right.
See the world everything’s fine.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
The daylight may break for you,
and shake for you,
all that have may not last.
The season may bring you down,
it’s alright,
turn back, the other side.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Hace un par de dias, tuvimos una gran noche. Una noche llena de amigos, buenas vibraciones, musica y poesia. De esa noche, quiero compartir esta cancion. Gracias, Josh, tu lo has hecho posible.
Si alguien quiere la traduccion al español, que me la pida.
Oh My Senses (Oh, mis sentidos)
Isn’t it amazing, the
sunlight on your face?
See the world everything’s right.
See the world everything’s fine.
Isn’t it amazing, the
blue-sky and the clouds?
See the world everything’s right.
See the world everything’s fine.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Isn’t it amazing, the
mountain and the streams?
See the world everything’s right.
See the world everything’s fine.
The morning light is falling bright
into my room, and everything is quiet.
See the world everything’s right.
See the world everything’s fine.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
The daylight may break for you,
and shake for you,
all that have may not last.
The season may bring you down,
it’s alright,
turn back, the other side.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Oh my senses, bringing me back,
where everything and everyone
is fine, under the sky.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
This time, in Spanish...... Desayuno de un idiota. An idiot's breakfast.
Ingredients:
Ham (Jamon York)
Cheese (Queso)
Bread (Pan)
Coffe (Cafe)
Aspirins (Aspirinas)
HangOver (Resaca)
Pakistani Mandarin (Mandarina de Pakistan)
Modo de preparacion:
Coges el Ham y lo colocas entre el pan junto al queso. Eso es lo que los expertos denominan "Sandwich de Jamon y queso" o Ham and Cheese Sandwich. Tambien conocido como Bikini frio o mixto en tierras ibericas.
Pelar concienzudamente la Mandarina de Pakistan.
Hacer cafe
Sentarse en una mesa vacia, solo.
Mirar al techo
Comerse la mandarina
Comer, con cara de estupido, el "Sandwich" mientras admiramos las extrañas variaciones de pintura que, milagrosamente, solo los podemos ver en situaciones como esa
Ignorar el esplendido dolor de cabeza que se posee
Repetir de manera repetida lo idiota que es uno
Opcionalmente, escuchar "Blush Response" y saberse el dialogo entre Rachel y Deckard.
Servir cafe al gusto
Insertar las aspirinas en la boca
Saborearlas. Mucho. Que la boca sepa a acido agrio.
Tomar cafe
Volver a la habitacion y hacer una entrada como esta en el blog.
So, that is. Thank you, citizen. The computer loves you. You love the computer.
Ham (Jamon York)
Cheese (Queso)
Bread (Pan)
Coffe (Cafe)
Aspirins (Aspirinas)
HangOver (Resaca)
Pakistani Mandarin (Mandarina de Pakistan)
Modo de preparacion:
Coges el Ham y lo colocas entre el pan junto al queso. Eso es lo que los expertos denominan "Sandwich de Jamon y queso" o Ham and Cheese Sandwich. Tambien conocido como Bikini frio o mixto en tierras ibericas.
Pelar concienzudamente la Mandarina de Pakistan.
Hacer cafe
Sentarse en una mesa vacia, solo.
Mirar al techo
Comerse la mandarina
Comer, con cara de estupido, el "Sandwich" mientras admiramos las extrañas variaciones de pintura que, milagrosamente, solo los podemos ver en situaciones como esa
Ignorar el esplendido dolor de cabeza que se posee
Repetir de manera repetida lo idiota que es uno
Opcionalmente, escuchar "Blush Response" y saberse el dialogo entre Rachel y Deckard.
Servir cafe al gusto
Insertar las aspirinas en la boca
Saborearlas. Mucho. Que la boca sepa a acido agrio.
Tomar cafe
Volver a la habitacion y hacer una entrada como esta en el blog.
So, that is. Thank you, citizen. The computer loves you. You love the computer.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
http://www.elite.net/~runner/jennifers/welcome.htm
Hello everyone. Welcome to my blog. Bienvenidos, bienvenidas.
My name is Egoitz. I'm one of the so-called "intelectuals" members of the academic community. Yes, that is the community who thinks has the right to know, more than the rest. The thing is that I don't like comfortable with that thought. Am I betraying my colleagues???
First of all, I don't like blogs. I don't have te time to update them, don't have the will to answer to all the posts and don't have the commitment of take care of one of them. As you could read in the description, this blog came after a night in a pub. A night full of senseless discussion about what the "people" want and who have the right to know it. That night I realized that nobody have the power to know anything about it. I doesn't matter if you are indigineous, white, black, western, eastern, tall, small, gorgeous or ugly. And, of course, doesn't matter if you're drunk or not.
I would like to start to talk about this. The issue that we have to be in control of everything, but we know it's impossible. Who have the right to know? Who is the person who is able to know? and, behind all of this. What the "people" want?????
At the same time, I'll post some of my dreams, thoughts and strange things that sometimes appear in my life. I hope you'll do the same.
Finally, I would like that this blog will be a multilingual one. Of course, we have to use a "lingua franca" in this case, english, but feel free to post in any language that you want. Sometimes I'll do in spanish, and sometimes, if my limited experience allows me, in Basque.
So be it. First question. Who has the right to know about one thing? The academic who research about, the person who is part of it? I'm waiting your answers, my friends.....
alea jacta est. La suerte esta echada. Como diria Cesar, que empiezen los juegos.
My name is Egoitz. I'm one of the so-called "intelectuals" members of the academic community. Yes, that is the community who thinks has the right to know, more than the rest. The thing is that I don't like comfortable with that thought. Am I betraying my colleagues???
First of all, I don't like blogs. I don't have te time to update them, don't have the will to answer to all the posts and don't have the commitment of take care of one of them. As you could read in the description, this blog came after a night in a pub. A night full of senseless discussion about what the "people" want and who have the right to know it. That night I realized that nobody have the power to know anything about it. I doesn't matter if you are indigineous, white, black, western, eastern, tall, small, gorgeous or ugly. And, of course, doesn't matter if you're drunk or not.
I would like to start to talk about this. The issue that we have to be in control of everything, but we know it's impossible. Who have the right to know? Who is the person who is able to know? and, behind all of this. What the "people" want?????
At the same time, I'll post some of my dreams, thoughts and strange things that sometimes appear in my life. I hope you'll do the same.
Finally, I would like that this blog will be a multilingual one. Of course, we have to use a "lingua franca" in this case, english, but feel free to post in any language that you want. Sometimes I'll do in spanish, and sometimes, if my limited experience allows me, in Basque.
So be it. First question. Who has the right to know about one thing? The academic who research about, the person who is part of it? I'm waiting your answers, my friends.....
alea jacta est. La suerte esta echada. Como diria Cesar, que empiezen los juegos.
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