Batallón Vasco Español
Encyclopedia
The Batallón Vasco Español (Spanish for Basque Spanish Battalion) was a Spanish Basque right-wing paramilitary
group active from 1975 to 1981, primarily in French Basque Country.
The BVE employed violence mainly against Basque separatist groups.
With the change of government in Madrid, from the post-Francoist center-right Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) to the center-left Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE) in 1982, the BVE vanished but a similar group, the Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación
(GAL) took its place.
Right-wing terrorism
Right-wing terrorism draws its inspiration from a variety of ideologies and beliefs, including neo-fascism, neo-Nazism, racism, opposition to foreigners and immigration, and religion. Incidents of this type of terrorism have been widespread, but often lack international cooperation...
group active from 1975 to 1981, primarily in French Basque Country.
The BVE employed violence mainly against Basque separatist groups.
With the change of government in Madrid, from the post-Francoist center-right Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) to the center-left Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
(PSOE) in 1982, the BVE vanished but a similar group, the Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación
Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación
Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación were death squads established illegally by officials of the Spanish government to fight ETA, the principal Basque separatist militant group. They were active from 1983 until 1987, under Spanish Socialist Workers Party -led governments...
(GAL) took its place.
Attacks attributed to the BVE
- This list may be incomplete, because many of their attacks were never reivindicated. Additionally the acronyms BVE and others (Guerrilleros de Cristo ReyGuerrilleros de Cristo ReyGuerrilleros de Cristo Rey was a Spanish paramilitary group that operated in the late 1970s.They emerged at a time of factionism within the Carlist movement. Historically Carlism was a traditionalist, legitimist and Catholic movement, supporting a different monarchial line to the one occupying the...
, Anti Terrorismo ETA, Primera Línea de Fuerza Nueva, Grupos Armados Españoles, Alianza Apóstolica Anticomunista and, later, GAL and GANEGaneGane may refer to:*Alan Gane , an English former amateur footballer and manager*Ali Gane, a small town in western-central Senegal*Henry Gane House, a historic house at 121 Adena Road in Newton, Massachusetts...
) seem to have been indistinctly used by the same Spanish nationalist networks capriciously.
- August 2, 1977: Killing of Juan J. Lopetegui Carrasco (ETA militant) in AngletAngletAnglet is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in Aquitaine in south-western France. The town's name is pronounced [ãglet]; i.e...
(France). Reivindicated. - February 2, 1978: Killing of Yolanda González Martín (Basque student and member of the Socialist Party of the Workers, PST) in Madrid. Reivindicated. Members of the extreme right party Fuerza NuevaFuerza NuevaNew Force was the name of a succession of far-right political parties in Spain founded by Blas Piñar, the son of one of the defenders of the Alcázar of Toledo and director of the Institute of Hispanic Culture during the Francoist period...
were arrested for this case, including a policeman. - December 21, 1978: Killing of José Miguel Beñarán, "Argala" (ETA militant who participated to the assassination of Luis Carrero BlancoLuis Carrero BlancoDon Luis Carrero Blanco, 1st Duke of Carrero Blanco, Grandee of Spain was a Spanish admiral and long-time confidant of dictator Francisco Franco.- Biography :...
in 1973), in Anglet. Carlos Gastón, member of the BVE was accused for this crime. Former OAS member Jean Pierre CheridJean Pierre CheridJean-Pierre Cherid was a far right French activist and later mercenary of Moroccan descent. A former French paratrooper, he first became a member of the Organisation de l'armée secrète during the Algerian War .Afterwards, Cherid appeared in Spain in 1976...
took part in it. - May 12, 1979: Killing of policeman Peru Lañarraga Juaristi (alleged ETA collaborator)in BayonneBayonneBayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
(France). - June 25, 1979: Killing of Enrique Gomez Alvarez (alleged ETA militant) in Bayonne.
- June 28, 1979: Killing of F. Martín Eizaguirre and Aurelio Fernández (alleged GRAPO militants) in Paris (France).
- September 28, 1979: Killing of Tomás Alba Irazusta, municipal councillor by Herri Batasuna, in his hometown of AstigarragaAstigarragaAstigarraga is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, in northern Spain. It's famous for its hard cider and the cider houses-External links:* Information available in Spanish and Basque....
(Guipuscoa). - February 2, 1980: Killing of Jesús Mª Zubikaray Badiola, member of Euskadiko EzkerraEuskadiko EzkerraEuskadiko Ezkerra or EE was a Basque socialist political organisation. It was founded as a coalition of Euskal Iraultzarako Alderdia and other Basque Marxist forces in 1977 to present lists for the Spanish general elections in the constituencies of Vizcaya,...
, in HernaniHernaniHernani may refer to:*Hernani José da Rosa, a Brazilian football defender*Hernani , a Romantic drama by Victor Hugo*Ernani, a Romantic opera based on Hugo's play*Hernani, Eastern Samar, a municipality in Eastern Samar, Philippines...
(GuipuscoaGuipuscoaGipuzkoa is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. It limits with the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques at the northeast, with the province and autonomous community of Navarre at east, Biscay at west, Álava at...
). - April 19, 1980: Killing of Felipe Zagarna Ormazábal, member of Herri Batasuna in Hernani. Reivindicated.
- May 8, 1980: Killing of María José Bravo del Valle (student without known political relation) in Donostia (Guipuscoa).
- August 30, 1980: Killing of Angel Etxaniz Olabarria, member of Herri Batasuna, in OndarroaOndarroaOndarroa is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-Main sights:*Church of St. Mary, in late Gothic style *Likona Tower, a typical Basque tower-house....
(BiscayBiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
). - September 7, 1980: Killing of Miguel Mª Arbelaiz and Luis Mª Elizondo (HB members) in Hernani.
- November 14, 1980: Killing of Esperanza Arana and Joaquín Alfonso Etxeberria (ETA members) in CaracasCaracasCaracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
(VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
). - November 14 1980: Killing of Joaquií Antimasbere Escoz (with no known political connection) in Hernani.
- November 23, 1980: Machine-gun attack against the Bar Hendayais in Hendaye. José Camio and Jean Pierre Aramendi (both without known political connections) were killed. Another 10 people were injured.
- December 30, 1980: Killing of José Martín Sagardia Zaldua (ETA member) in BiarritzBiarritzBiarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
(France). - March 3, 1981: Killing of Francisco Javier Ansa Cincunegui, HB member, in AndoainAndoainAndoain is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the north of Spain. Nowadays it has a population above 13,000 inhabitants, which has been decreasing since 1981....
(Guipuscoa).