Along with other pro-independence parties, Esquerra demands that Spain’s Congress establishes a commission of inquiry to address political interference by the far right in the military.

Esquerra’s parliamentary group in the Spanish Congress submitted on Tuesday a proposal to create a commission of inquiry into the presence of the far right in the armed forces, and on possible interference through the military hierarchy in the executive and legislative powers. “You don’t have to be on the left to know that the Spanish army has clear, objective reminiscences of the Franco era and the dictatorship,” said Esquerra’s spokesperson in Madrid, Gabriel Rufián, who recalled that in recent weeks we have seen things that should embarrass any democrat.”

The document submitted together with Basque EH-Bildu, Catalan centre-right Junts per Catalunya, left-wing CUP and Galician BNG details some of the recent examples of the right links with the military establishment observed, including leaks from whatsapp group conversations in which reserve officers called for the execution of millions of citizens, members of the army singing hymns of the División Azul—a Spanish volunteer unit that fought alongside Nazi troops—calls for the intervention of King Philip VI as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, as well as the “civil-war styled, anti-democratic” language in letters and communiqués by army commanders reminiscent of that of past army takeovers.

For the first time in many years, there is a certain atmosphere evocative of a coup d’état

Gabriel Rufián Spokesperson of the Republican Group in the Congress

“This constant trickle of evidence confirms the extensive presence of far-right Franco sympathisers in the armed forces, as well as their attempts to constantly influence public life and political decisions,” says the submission, which argues that the public authorities have a duty to “eradicate all pro-fascist compulsions” and regrets that the current Socialist Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, has downplayed this issue.

“For the first time in many years, there is a certain atmosphere evocative of a coup d’état. There are whispers again in the private dining rooms,” warns Gabriel Rufián. He cites as an example that “through some very influential press and digital media, and obviously through the political arm of this coup d’état clique that is the Vox party,” messages have been spread around describing the democratically elected government as illegitimate.” “From there, anything can happen,” he said. In this regard, he underlines that investigation of all this in Congress must “go beyond parties.” The issue is “whether you are a democrat or not.”