Youth Front
| Youth Front | |
|---|---|
| Frente de la Juventud(in Spanish) | |
 | |
| Leader |
|
| Dates of operation | 1978–1982 |
| Motives | Opposition todemocracy,social liberalism,peripheric nationalist movements,communismandanarchism |
| Active regions | Spain |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Major actions | Bombings,murder,conspirating against the government. |
| Status | Inactive |
| Size | 100-300 (1978) |
Youth Front(Spanish:Frente de la Juventud, FJ) was a Spanishpolitical youth organizationand far-right militant group, sometimes considered aterrorist organization.[3][4]
History
[edit]FJ emerged as a 1978 split ofFuerza Nueva,the mainneofrancoistparty in Spain at the time. The split with the mainstreamfar-righthappened for similar reasons with the previous split of theNational Youth Front(FNJ) in 1977. The split happened due to the stagnation of the main far-right political forces and the frustration of new members of the security section - the sections C and Z - ofFuerza Joven(youth-wing of FN). FJ was founded by José de las Heras and Juan Ignacio González, and later joined by between 100 and 300 members during that year. FJ was opposed to the "parliamentary way" ofFuerza NuevaandFE-JONS,defending also the lack of utility of peaceful demonstrations, supporting the creation of paramilitary units to fight against "marxism".
The Youth Front was based mainly inMadridandValladolid(while the FNJ was based inBarcelona).[5]FJ supported violence as a destabilizing element of system, and as its main political strategy.[6]
One of the first actions of the group was taking part in the neofascist assault against the Law Faculty of theComplutense University of Madridin 1979, along with members of Fuerza Joven andFE-JONS.There were at least 30 far-right militants involved in the assault, that resulted in 3 people from the Law Faculty with gunshot wounds.[7]On 29 April 1979, the group stabbed Andrés García, an 18 year old communist, at Goya Street. Andrés died due to the injuries.[8]On 14 July of the same year FJ placed aGoma-2explosive at the bar "El Parnasillo" (Malasaña), for allegedly being a place were anarchists and drug addicts congregated. One person died and 9 were injured.[9]
In 1980, the group gained new members after the self-dissolution of theNational Youth Front.The most prominent of the new members wasErnesto Milà.At the end of the same year, Juan Ignacio González, the "national secretary" of the organization, was murdered. The murder was never solved, although there is some speculation that it was caused due to an internal feud between rival factions of the organization.[10]His death caused a crisis in the organization.
Twenty-four members were arrested in the cities ofMadridandValènciaon 26 January 1981, for various robberies carried out to fund the organization. Also in 1981, 16 members were arrested for various attacks inValladolid,against the headquarters of theCNT,PSOE,Cervantes Cinema and the City Hall. FJ also killed Carlos Javier Idígoras Navarrete and Luis Arribas Santamaría (a beggar).[11]Later, in the same year, FJ also bombed the headquarters of theCommunist Movementand various book shops.[12]
The group was finally dismantled by theSpanish policein 1982, after a demonstration commemorating the23-Fcoup attempt. During the demonstration members of FJ threwmolotov cocktailsagainst the police.[13]
The historic leader of the group, José de las Heras Hurtado, was in search and seizure since 1984, after failing to appear in the El Parnasillo bombing trial. NewspaperEl Paísfound him in Brazil in 2016.[14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^La vida secreta de un fugitivo de Fuerza Nueva en Brasil.El País, 12 JUN 2016 - 20:46 CEST.
- ^Until his murder in 1980.
- ^Rodríguez Jiménez, José Luis(1994). Reaccionarios y golpistas: la extrema derecha en España: del tardofranquismo a la consolidación de la democracia, 1967-1982. Editorial CSIC - CSIC Press.ISBN9788400074425.
- ^González Sáez, Juan Manuel (2012).«La violencia política de la extrema derecha durante la transición española (1975-1982)».Coetánea: III Congreso Internacional de Historia de Nuestro Tiempo. coord. por Carlos Navajas Zubeldía, Diego Iturriaga Barco. pp. 365-376.ISBN978-84-695-5155-4.
- ^González Sáez, Juan Manuel (2012). «La violencia política de la extrema derecha durante la transición española (1975-1982)». Coetánea: III Congreso Internacional de Historia de Nuestro Tiempo. coord. por Carlos Navajas Zubeldía, Diego Iturriaga Barco. pp. 365-376.ISBN978-84-695-5155-4.p. 372.
- ^González Sáez, Juan Manuel (2012). «La violencia política de la extrema derecha durante la transición española (1975-1982)». Coetánea: III Congreso Internacional de Historia de Nuestro Tiempo. coord. por Carlos Navajas Zubeldía, Diego Iturriaga Barco. pp. 365-376.ISBN978-84-695-5155-4.p. 374-375
- ^Varios heridos, tres de ellos de bala en un asalto ultraderechista a la facultad de Derecho.El País, 27 ENE 1979.
- ^Andrés García, asesinado el domingo, será enterrado esta tarde.El País, 1 MAY 1979
- ^El fiscal pide 260 años de prisión para dos 'ultras' acusados de poner una bomba en Malasaña.El País, 12 ENE 1984.
- ^[Grimaldos, Alfredo (2004). La sombra de Franco en la Transición. Madrid: Oberon.ISBN8496052753.]
- ^Golpe policial a una peligrosa banda terrorista de extrema derecha causante de varios atentados y asesinatos.El País, 1 AGO 1981.
- ^Busca y captura del jefe del Frente de la Juventud, que no comparecio en el juicio contra la banda 'ultra' que dirigía.El País, 17 ENE 1984.
- ^Detenidos siete miembros del Frente de la Juventud.El País, 27 FEB 1982.
- ^La vida secreta de un fugitivo de Fuerza Nueva en Brasil.El País, 12 JUN 2016 - 20:46 CEST.