Spain commemorates 40th anniversary of the failed "Tejerazo" coup
Spain commemorates this Tuesday the 40th anniversary of the attempted coup on February 23, 1981 - though without the presence of King Emeritus Juan Carlos I, a key actor in stopping the coup and promoting the democratic transition.
The Congress of Deputies, the scene of this attempt, will hold a solemn ceremony at 1:00 p.m. (12:00 GMT) in which King Felipe VI will take the floor, accompanied by the Socialist head of government Pedro Sánchez.
The great absentee will be the father of the current monarch, Juan Carlos I, 83, who abdicated in 2014 and went into exile in the United Arab Emirates in August due to growing suspicions about the opaque origin of his fortune.
The situation highlights the deterioration of the image of the monarch since, 40 years ago, Lieutenant Colonel of the Civil Guard Antonio Tejero assaulted the Congress of Deputies, commanding about 200 men, in an image recorded for the history.
At that time, six years after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, Spain was on a democratic course that a group of right-wing soldiers wanted to stop.
From the Zarzuela palace, King Juan Carlos, only 43 years old at the time, played a decisive role in stopping the attempt.
Tejero and his men finally agreed to surrender on February 24 at noon, freeing the deputies and ministers who had been held for 18 hours.
At: https://www.explica.co/spain-remembers-the-40-years-of-the-failed-coup-without-juan-carlos-i/
Re-enactment of the 1981 Spanish coup attempt known as the "Tejerazo" - in reference to fascist Colonel of the Civil Guard Antonio Tejero.
The failed putsch was followed by another plot ahead of the 1982 election, won by the Socialist Party.
The exact extent of conspiracy, which included influential right-wing media and other civilians, is still not fully understood.