Operation Galaxia
Encyclopedia
Operation Galaxia was the codename given to the plan which preceded the 23-F
attempted coup d'état in Spain
. It was named Galaxia, because the officers who took part met in Cafetería Galaxia in Madrid
(now, Van Gogh Café), on 11 November 1978.
It was meant to take place on 17 November 1978, to stop the Spanish transition to democracy
taking place at that time. That date was chosen because the King, Juan Carlos, would be away in South America
. The three people in charge of the operation were Guardia Civil Lieutenant-Colonel Antonio Tejero
, Major Ricardo Saenz Ynestrillas, and another colonel, whose name has not been revealed.
An Infantry Captain of the Police, and an Infantry Commander of the Army were present at the conversation, and informed their superiors of the plot.
On 8 May 1980, the two main suspects, Tejero and Ynestrillas, were court-martialled, and on their way, they were cheered by crowds with nationalist flags, but also insulted, which showed the division of Spain at that time. The attorney general asked for six years for Tejero, and five for Ynestrillas, but they were only given seven months and a day and six months and a day respectively, the minimum sentence. Neither of them lost their military rank, and Ynestrillas was later promoted to Commander (major).
. This became known as the 23-F
coup.
23-F
23-F was an attempted coup d'état in Spain that began on 23 February 1981 and ended on the following day. It is also known as El Tejerazo from the name of its most visible figure, Antonio Tejero, who led the failed coup's most notable event: the bursting into the Spanish Congress of Deputies by a...
attempted coup d'état in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It was named Galaxia, because the officers who took part met in Cafetería Galaxia in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
(now, Van Gogh Café), on 11 November 1978.
It was meant to take place on 17 November 1978, to stop the Spanish transition to democracy
Spanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
taking place at that time. That date was chosen because the King, Juan Carlos, would be away in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. The three people in charge of the operation were Guardia Civil Lieutenant-Colonel Antonio Tejero
Antonio Tejero
Antonio Tejero Molina is a Spanish former Lieutenant Colonel of the Guardia Civil, and the most visible figure in the attempted coup d'état – also known as the 'Tejerazo' – against the Spanish democracy on 23 February 1981....
, Major Ricardo Saenz Ynestrillas, and another colonel, whose name has not been revealed.
An Infantry Captain of the Police, and an Infantry Commander of the Army were present at the conversation, and informed their superiors of the plot.
On 8 May 1980, the two main suspects, Tejero and Ynestrillas, were court-martialled, and on their way, they were cheered by crowds with nationalist flags, but also insulted, which showed the division of Spain at that time. The attorney general asked for six years for Tejero, and five for Ynestrillas, but they were only given seven months and a day and six months and a day respectively, the minimum sentence. Neither of them lost their military rank, and Ynestrillas was later promoted to Commander (major).
1981 attempt
Lieutenant-Colonel Tejero attempted another coup on 23 February 1981, in the middle of the voting by the deputies for the new Prime minister. He had taken over the Cabinet and lower house of Parliament with 200 men, holding 350 deputies hostage and announcing the constitution of a military juntaMilitary junta
A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish language junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors...
. This became known as the 23-F
23-F
23-F was an attempted coup d'état in Spain that began on 23 February 1981 and ended on the following day. It is also known as El Tejerazo from the name of its most visible figure, Antonio Tejero, who led the failed coup's most notable event: the bursting into the Spanish Congress of Deputies by a...
coup.