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SPAIN: Franco's torturer receives award

01 January 2001

Melitòn Manzanas, the head of the Franco regime's political police (Brigada Politico-social) in San Sebastian was controversially awarded the "Gran Cruz de la Real Orden de Reconocimiento Civil a las Victimas del Terrorismo" (Great Cross of the Royal Order of Civil Recognition for the Victims of Terrorism) by the Spanish government on 19 January. Manzanas was the first killing by ETA when he was shot on his doorstep in Irún in August 1968. Manzanas was a symbol of Franco's repression in the Basque Country, and collaborated with the Gestapo in southern France during the Vichy regime and specialised in the torture of dissidents.
Left and nationalist parties expressed their outrage that such an award should go to a "man of violence", a "torturer" who "served a regime which suppressed liberties", describing the act as a "provocation". Interior Minister Jaime Mayor claimed the government merely applied the law, "Ley de victimas del terrorismo" (Law for the victims of terrorism), which also decrees that the families of victims should receive 23 million Ptas compensation. Government spokesman Pio Cabanillas (PP) explained that Manzanas fulfilled the requirements agreed unanimously in parliament when the law was passed in October 1999.
The PNV (Basque Nationalist Party) had proposed that the law should be applicable from the start of the democratic regime, but the Partido Popular (PP) fixed January 1968 as its starting date, including victims of all forms of terrorism. The family of Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, blown up by ETA on 20 December 1973 in central Madrid, is expected to receive compensation, although they have not requested the award. Carrero Blanco's murder is widely believed to have caused the end of the dictatorship in Spain, as he was Franco's chosen successor.
Victims of the state-sponsored Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberaciòn are also eligible for compensation; the family of HB (Herri Batasuna) leader Santiago Brouard (see Statewatch vol 9 nos 3 & 4) assassinated by a GAL unit in November 1984 also received compensation.

El País 20, 21 & 28.1.01.