Spain to declassify 1981 coup documents after 45 years

The Spanish government will approve the declassification of documents related to the February 23, 1981, coup attempt ahead of the 45th anniversary of the event. 

During the coup, armed civil guards entered the Spanish Congress in an attempt to overthrow the young democracy following the end of Franco's dictatorship.

Officials will publish the papers in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on Wednesday, February 25 and they will be made available for public consultation on the Moncloa government website.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the decision via a message on X, stating "Memory cannot be locked away. Democracies must know their past to build a freer future."

Sánchez also acknowledged those who advocated for the release, such as author Javier Cercas who called for full transparency during the presentation of his series 'Anatomy of an Instant' at the Congress of Deputies.

The declassification fulfills a long-standing demand from several parliamentary groups.

In recent years, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNB) particularly insisted on the need to reform the Official Secrets Act to shorten deadlines.

The 1968 Act has long faced criticism for its restrictive nature, keeping government documents secret for long, indefinite periods.

Ernest Urtasun, Spain's Minister of Culture, described the move as a "first step" toward greater transparency. 

In an interview with Catalan broadcaster TV3, he argued that Spain's Official Secrets Act, which he called a 'Francoist law', still poses important obstacles for historians.

The opposition Popular Party (PP) dismissed the declassification as a political stunt. 

Spokesperson Ester Muñoz called it a "smoke screen" in a message on X, claiming the move is part of "the steps for the total collapse" of the Sánchez administration.

Government spokesperson Elma Saiz will provide further details during Tuesday, February 24, post-cabinet press briefing.