The Challenge: ETA
The story of how the Guardia Civil, a militarized police force, fought for nearly half a century against ETA, a ruthless terrorist gang dedicated to murder, kidnapping, extortion and arms and drug smuggling while cynically demanding independence for the Basque Country in northern Spain.
Overview
The story of how the Guardia Civil, a militarized police force, fought for nearly half a century against ETA, a ruthless terrorist gang dedicated to murder, kidnapping, extortion and arms and drug smuggling while cynically demanding independence for the Basque Country in northern Spain.
Luis Velo
Creator / EP
Laura Jouve
Producer
Episodes
1. Darkness and Silence
Terrorist gang ETA is born in the Basque Country, in northern Spain, during General Franco's dictatorship (1939-75), as a movement that is supposedly fighting for freedom. All begins in 1968 with the first murder, that of traffic officer José Pardines Arcay, a guardia civil who pulls over a couple of terrorists while they were going to collect explosives. Soon there will be more crimes, until reaching the assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco, the president of Franco's government. Franco dies and democracy is established, but ETA will continue to kill.
2. The Escalation of ETA
With Franco's death, many political prisoners are released; some are true victims of the dictatorship, others are mere murderers, like the Etarras, who will go out and walk a path of death; like Jesus María Zabarte, the Butcher of Mondragón, one of the most bloodthirsty. ETA starts an open war against the State, with the assassination of businessmen, politicians and military, while bringing terror to the heart of the civilian population.
3. Fire and Lead
The escalation of ETA reaches an unusual level: car bombs that kill dozens of people, especially guardias civiles. Their aim is to force the government to recognize the independence of the Basque Country. And to do so, it will eliminate anyone who stands in its way, including its dissident members. But the State is reacting with operations that put ETA on the ropes, one of them with the help of the CIA.
