The Spanish government refuses to take responsibility for the bombing of Gernika because it was not caused by the state

The Minister of the Presidency, Felix Bolanosargued to the PNV that the government of Spain does not take responsibility for the bombing of Gernika in the civil war because that “barbarity” was not caused by the “Spanish state” or a legitimate government, but by “coup plotters” that the Nazis .

On the day celebrating the 85th anniversary of the massacre, considered the first aerial bombardment of the civilian population in history, the full Senate has seen an interpellation from the PNV spokesperson, Estefania Beltran de Herediawho has asked the executive to assume that “responsibility” on behalf of the state, whether or not it was the rebels who supported the attacks.

This Tuesday, the Executive expressly condemned the massacre for the first timevia an institutional statement approved by the Council of Ministers, a gesture recognized by the PNV senator, although she has assured her that she does not understand why it is not going any further.

“Democratic memory demands that governments take over the events of the past, regardless of direct responsibility for them, who governs and whatever form of government,” he told the hemisphere.

In addition, Beltrán de Heredia claims that: under the principle of “continuity of the state” is an “obligation” of the democratic governments to “accept and recognize the responsibility which in this case the rebel forces and the Franco government had” in the bombing of the civilian population of Gernika on April 26, 1937.

In short, he has considered it an exercise in “justice” which he has already done, he recalled, the German government, when in 1997 it apologized to the people of Gernika for that attack by the Condor Legion that caused a large number of civilian casualties and which Franco wrongly attributes to an action by the Republicans.

However, the Presidency Minister has emphasized the importance of the statement approved by the Council of Ministers, in so far as it “disputably” condemns the “horrific bombings” and takes sides with the victims, but at the same time the clear that it cannot accept the arguments of the PNV.

And this is because, he emphasized, “That barbarity was not committed by the Spanish state” nor “by any legitimate government” since “they were coup plotters” who “approved and celebrated” the bombardment against the Basque population, while the legitimate government was that of the Second Republic.

Félix Bolaños has insisted that the memory is “present” and noted that the condemnation of what happened in Gernika 85 years later allows for parallelism with what is happening in Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin also orders bombings against ” absolutely defenseless people” and also uses propaganda to deny any responsibility.