1982 Spanish coup d'état attempt facts for kids

The October 27, 1982, coup attempt was a secret plan in Spain. It aimed to overthrow the government. This plan was supposed to happen on October 27, 1982. This was just one day before national elections.

However, the plan was discovered and stopped early. It was found out on October 1. Even though it became public, its importance was played down. This was done with help from the main news groups. They wanted to avoid causing public worry. This coup d'état plan did not really affect the election campaign for the October 28 elections. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) won these elections. Over time, this event has become a less known part of Spanish history.

Stopping the Plan: How It Was Discovered

The plans for this coup attempt were very detailed. They were even more precise than the 23-F coup attempt that happened before.

On October 1, the Home Office Secretary, Juan José Rosón, learned about the secret plan. After looking at the situation, Rosón and others made a quick decision. These others were the government president Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo, Defence Minister Alberto Oliart, and Manglano, who led the CESID. They decided it was best to act fast. They did not want to investigate more, to avoid a bigger problem.

Because of this quick decision, three main suspects were arrested. This happened early on Sunday, October 2. The arrested people were Artillery Colonels Luis Muñoz Gutiérrez and Jesús Crespo Cuspinera. Also arrested was Jesús's brother, Lieutenant Colonel José Crespo Cuspinera. At the same time, several people who were found guilty in the 23-F coup were moved to different prisons. This included Jaime Milans del Bosch, who was the leader of that earlier coup. He was moved to Algeciras prison.

The lists of people involved in the new plan included about 400 names. It was clear that Jaime Milans del Bosch had met Colonel Muñoz Gutiérrez. Muñoz Gutiérrez was one of the three arrested. They met in Fuencarral prison. The plan was for Milans Bosch to be freed. Then, he would lead the rest of the coup actions.

The Secret Plan: Code Name "MN"

The secret plan was called "MN." This name might have been linked to the Movimiento Nacional. The plan involved preparing several violent actions. These actions would target people who supported progress, self-rule, and left-wing ideas. The plan would end with a large explosion in a military housing block in Madrid.

All these actions would be blamed on ETA. ETA was a terrorist group. The idea was to make it seem like the government was not good at fighting terrorism. This would then be used to justify the military taking over.

The main action was set for October 27. This was the day before the general elections. At a certain time, which was not specified, the Artillery Academy of Fuencarral would be taken over. This was where Milans del Bosch was held. After that, the military chain of command would be stopped. This would happen by taking over the Captaincy General of Madrid. They would also take the operations center of the Board of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Then, a state of war would be declared. Eighty special commandos would be placed in three rings around Madrid. They would control all important power places. These included Zarzuela (the royal residence), Moncloa (the government residence), Ministries, and TV and radio stations like TVE. The people planning the coup expected help from the Unit of Colmenar Viejo Helicopters. They also counted on two Companies of Special Operations (COES) from Madrid.

What Happened Next: The Aftermath

The three people who were arrested went to trial. However, the investigation was not very strict. The PSOE party won the elections on October 28 with a large majority. Their plan was to make this conspiracy seem less important. They wanted to fix their relationship with the army, which did not trust them much.

See also

In Spanish: Conspiración golpista para el 27 de octubre de 1982 para niños