Updated Dec. 20, 2023 at 12:00 pm
On this day in 1973, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, the prime minister of Spain was killed in Madrid after a massive bomb exploded under his car.
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Why was Carrero Blanco killed?
Carrero Blanco was killed in Madrid by the Basque separatist group ETA, targeted due to his support for the Franco regime and his attempts to suppress Basque autonomy and culture. The attack was seen as a major blow to the regime, especially as the health of longtime ruler Francisco Franco was failing. The Spanish opposition in exile didn’t condemn the killing.
What was the aftermath of Carrero Blanco death?
Deputy Prime Minister Torcuato Fernández Miranda proclaimed himself prime minister, in accordance with the dispositions laid out in the Organic Law of the State. Fearing an uprising, he demanded that his security detail not hesitate to use deadly force if any clash occurred. Franco would die shortly after.
