Spanish Civil War? Dozens of Retired Military Officers Call on Army to Remove Socialist Prime Minister over Catalan Separatist Amnesty Deal

Pedro Sanchez, Spain's prime minister, passes an honor guard as he arrives at the Chancell
Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Kurt Zindulka

Over 50 retired military officers have called on the Spanish Army to conduct a coup to remove socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez after he made concessions to Catalonian separatists to remain in office.

Amid large-scale protests and warnings of “civil war” over the socialist government of Pedro Sánchez’s move to push for amnesty for politicians and activists in the Catalonian separatist movement, many of whom were accused of sedition and rebellion after seeking to launch an independence referendum in 2017 for which they were removed from office and figures such as former Catalonian President Carles Puigdemont fled the country to avoid prosecution.

While Sánchez even admitted before the July elections that giving amnesty to the separatists would likely be unconstitutional, he struck the bargain with the regional separatist parties to form a coalition government after his Socialist Workers Party of Spain (PSOE) came in second behind the centre-right People’s Party (PP) which despite securing the most votes fell short of enough seats to form a government of its own.

The decision by Sánchez to side with the separatists in a craven attempt to cling to power has re-opened the deep political divisions from the 2017 constitutional crisis and has seen millions of Spaniards take to the streets over the past weeks.

Ahead of the prime minister being sworn in again before King Felipe VI at the Zarzuela Palace, a group of 51 retired military officers released a “manifesto” calling for the Spanish Armed Forces to remove Sánchez from office and launch fresh elections.

The retired officers said that a move by the socialist leader to pardon the separatists would “eliminate equality under the law” in Spain “solely for political interests.” They warned that his actions could result in the “possible rupture of the unity of the Spanish Nation.”

Therefore, citing Article 8.1 of the Spanish Constitution, the group of ex-military officers called upon the current armed forces to “defend the constitutional order”, remove Sánchez from power, and launch fresh elections.

Some of the manifesto’s signatories reportedly included officers who were investigated over 2020 chat messages which discussed removing Sánchez from power even if it meant having “to kill 26 million sons of bitches”. None of those investigated were charged, however.

The public anger against the government also seems to be increasing, with an estimated 170,000 protesting on Saturday in Madrid, following calls from Alberto Núñez Feijóo, conservative People’s Party leader and populist firebrand Vox leader Santiago Abascal both urging their supporters to take to the streets of the capital. Saturday’s demonstration more than doubled the 80,000 that took part last weekend.

Commenting on the fractious political environment in Spain in an interview with Vox’s Abascal, American journalist Tucker Carlson warned that following the shooting of the founder of the Vox Party, 78-year-old Alejo Vidal-Quadras, the country seems to be heading towards “civil war” in a repeat of the deadly conflict in the 1930s between the communist Popular Front and Francisco Franco’s nationalists that left hundreds of thousands dead.

Sánchez, Abascal said, has put on the table an Amnesty Law for the worst crimes committed by public representatives. The judges are talking about the beginning of the end of democracy and the abolition of the rule of law. The government walks down the path of the most absolute illegality.”

When asked by Carlson how far he would go to confront the socialist government, Sbascal said: “I am willing to do absolutely anything… Either the tyrant sits in the dock or the opponents in jail.”

Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter: or e-mail to: kzindulka@breitbart.com

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