New declassified files reveal secrets of Spain's 23-F coup as Antonio Tejero passes away

The newly released documents shed light on the planning, chaos and key players behind the failed 1981 coup

The world has seen its share of explosive document releases recently, and now Spain has released its own. With the death of Antonio Tejero, the former lieutenant colonel who led Spain's infamous 23-F coup attempt, the Spanish government released over 160 previously classified documents. These declassified documents provide a detailed look at the plot that shook Spain's young democracy on February 23, 1981.

Born in Alhaurín el Grande in 1932, Tejero joined the Guardia Civil in 1951 and quickly built a reputation for clashing with state and military officials. He openly opposed Spain's new constitution, which had been approved in 1978 as the country tried to move away from nearly 40 years of Francisco Franco's authoritarian rule. Before the 23-F coup, Tejero had been implicated in another failed coup, Operación Galaxia, and other actions against the government.

On February 23 1981, Tejero made history for all the wrong reasons when he stormed the Congress of Deputies during the investiture vote for Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo. He fired shots into the ceiling and held members of parliament hostage for nearly 18 hours, including acting prime minister Adolfo Suárez. The standoff became a turning point for Spain's young democracy. Scenes such as Tejero shouting “Everyone freeze,” as he fired rounds into the ceiling, and his confrontation with Vice President General Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado sound like something straight out of a movie but were terrifyingly real.

Inside the coup: What the Documents Reveal

The newly declassified documents reveal even more. They show that the planning for the coup had begun months before, with intelligence and military assessments mapping out civilian, military, and joint civilian-military operations. Some transcripts reveal confusion among participants, with certain Guardia Civil officers being misled about the plot. Six members of a special CESID (Superior Defence Information Centre) intelligence unit were actively involved, either in planning or in supporting the takeover. The CESID was Spain’s main military and national intelligence agency from 1977 until 2002. Their later efforts to cover their tracks by correcting dates and creating cover stories were closely watched, tracked, and controlled.

King Juan Carlos I

The files also reveal just how decisive the role of King Juan Carlos I was. From the moment Tejero entered parliament, the king ordered military leaders to remain loyal to the constitution and not to give in to the rebels’ demands. Later documents show that even after the coup failed, there were ongoing worries about the mood in the armed forces. The documents detail efforts by some to spread false information that tried to implicate the king in the conspiracy.

Some documents go even further, showing that after the 23-F failure, certain military circles considered further attempts, including “un golpe a la turca” (a Turkish-style coup) to remove parties and regional authorities, and plotted dates around the celebration of the King’s saint’s day or national election cycles. The newly released records really give a sense of how fragile Spain's democracy felt at the time and how close the country came to a very different outcome.

Antonio Tejero was sentenced to 30 years for military rebellion, serving just under 16 before his release in 1996. In later years, he denied being a central figure, claiming he was merely “an actor” in the events. Yet his actions on that February day, and the broader information revealed in these newly released files, make it clear that 23-F remains one of the clearest tests of Spain's transition from dictatorship to democracy.

With the 23-F files now public, some politicians have said it could be a good moment for the exiled King Juan Carlos I to return, because of the decisive role he played in stopping the coup. The former king has been living abroad for several years while under investigation for financial matters.

Image 1: CC/Diario Región (Oviedo) Agencia EFE - Biblioteca Virtual del Patrimonio Bibliográfico
Image 2: CC/Anefo