This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.

Dark Rumblings Of A Coup D’État In Spain

testosteronepit's picture




 

Wolf Richter   www.testosteronepit.com   www.amazon.com/author/wolfrichter

Spain is on edge. Unemployment is nearly 26%, youth unemployment over 55%. The government is mired in a corruption scandal. The economy is grinding to a halt. On January 23, the Catalan assembly declared that the region constituted a “sovereign political and legal entity.” A step closer to secession. And then a general gave a speech.

It’s just now percolating to the surface, but it happened on February 6, according to people who attended a conference on the Armed Forces and the Constitution at the Gran Peña, a club in Madrid that is a favorite hangout for retired military officers. The discussion was moderated by José Antonio Fernández Rodera, editor of the military’s magazine, Revista Jurídica Militar. Among the speakers were Ángel Calderón, Chief Justice of the Military Chamber; Pedro González-Trevijano, Chancellor of the King Juan Carlos University; and General Juan Antonio Chicharro, until 2010 commander of the Marine Corps and now in the reserves. About 100 people were in the audience.

There was nothing unusual until General Chicharro spoke. From the outset, he made clear that this wasn’t an impromptu speech. According to various attendees, he apologized; he would have declined the invitation to speak, he said, but the current “separatist-secessionist offensive” in Catalonia obligated him to come forward.

In the armed forces, “there is a general feeling of preoccupation, fear, uncertainty, and confusion” on this topic, he said. He lamented the dismissal of General José Mena in 2006 after he’d publicly suggested that military intervention might be needed to counter Catalonia’s demands for increased autonomy.

He criticized Catalan separatists for their distorted interpretation of the Constitution with regards to secession and offered his own interpretation of two articles: Article 8.1, which charged the Armed Forces with defending Spain and its territorial integrity; and Article 97, which spelled out the subordination of the military to the civilian government. The first was at the hard core of the Constitution, he said. The second was further removed, with less force.

And so, while using conditionals and turning statements into questions, he spun a theory on when the military would be justified in overthrowing the government. The problem would occur, he said, “if those responsible for the defense of the Constitution didn’t behave as their role required.”

He asked his listeners to imagine what would happen if the Popular Party (PP) were to lose its absolute majority in the next general elections, and the Catalan nationalists were to demand, in exchange for their support, a change of the Constitution to undo the doctrine of the “indissoluble unity” of Spain.

“So what do the Armed Forces do?” he wondered, but gave no answer. “The rules are one thing, practice is another,” he said enigmatically. “If the defense mechanism of the constitutional order doesn’t work, by act or omission, then....” He didn’t complete the sentence. “The country is more important than democracy,” he said. “Patriotism is a feeling, and the Constitution is nothing but a law.”

Rousing applause, a standing ovation, cries of “Bravo! Bravo!” The questions from the audience went even further than the General’s speech—until chancellor González-Trevijano cut them off: “The alternative to the constitution is collective suicide,” he said.

When the story began to leak out, Diego López Garrido, the Socialist spokesman in Parliament on defense issues, pressed the Ministry of Defense to take immediate action against the general; he was still subject to the military disciplinary code which frowned upon suggesting coup d’états—in public. And on Thursday, the Ministry said that it has opened a preliminary inquiry to determine what exactly the general had said and if it ran afoul of any laws.

Perhaps warned by the general, the government is taking the hardest possible line against Catalonia’s ambitions to secede. On Thursday, the State Council issued an opinion indicating that there were sufficient legal grounds to dispute the declaration by the Catalan assembly. On Friday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced that the government would roll out its biggest legal gun. It would take the declaration to the Constitutional Court on the grounds that it violated the Constitution.

The economic nightmare with too many out-of-work restless young people on the streets, the secession of a region, a constitutional crisis in the wings, and dark rumblings by generals combine into a volatile mix. What had started out as a housing bubble that turned into a debt crisis then a broad economic crisis has morphed beyond the economy. It’s gnawing on democracy.

And not just in Spain. But the Eurozone. “I’m appalled that two clowns have won,” said the man who'd try to knock German Chancellor Merkel off her perch this year. He was referring to former comedian Beppe Grillo and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. One of them is “a professional clown who doesn’t mind being called that,” he explained; the other is “a clown with special testosterone boost.” Read.... The Utter Fragility Of The Eurozone: Even Democracy Is A Threat

 

- advertisements -

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Sun, 03/03/2013 - 00:47 | 3294811 Freddie
Freddie's picture

Well the Joint Cheifs, Pentagon and top brass are more interested in that nasty Islamo-poon tang spy biotches with bad boob jobs hanging our at the country clubs outside McDill and other places.  Weapons system contract, drone orders, cheap PX booze and smokes plus their pension in soon to be worthless fiat are more important than protecting The Constitution.

The U.S. Military fell in line when Honest Abe launched his genocide on the South.   They had a drunk in Grant and a psychopath in Sherman or vice versa.  Honest Abe had the blood of 1.1 million men and women on his hands but he was an NWO puppet until he stepped out of line wanted to send the slaves home.  He forgot the european banking families were the boss.

Latin generals seem to do a better job in taking the garbage out. Sad the Roman Army had been shipped off to all ccorners of the world.  If they had been in Rome they could have dispatched half of the corrupt senators who destroyed Rome.

 

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 22:32 | 3294644 otto skorzeny
otto skorzeny's picture

oath keepers is a CIA diversionary group.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 04:54 | 3294972 Stud Duck
Stud Duck's picture

Huh??????????

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 21:25 | 3294542 davidsmith
davidsmith's picture

"And so, while using conditionals and turning statements into questions, he spun a theory on when the military would be justified in overthrowing the government. The problem would occur, he said, “if those responsible for the defense of the Constitution didn’t behave as their role required.”

 

And so, while using conditionals and turning statements into questions, he spun a theory on when the military would be justified in overthrowing the government. The problem would occur, he said, “if Barack Obama, who is responsible for the defense of the Constitution, didn’t behave as his role required."

 

Before the United States military pre-empts us, let's overthrow the U.S. Government ourselves.  Let's declare a provisional revolutionary government right here on ZH.  Are you in?

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 21:09 | 3294514 dolly madison
dolly madison's picture

Catalonia operated for a time under participatory democracy, and there is rumblings of wanting to do that again.  Representative democracy always stands against participatory democracy.  The leaders never want to give away their power. 

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 13:21 | 3295505 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

don't forget that participatory democracy requires a lot of effort from participants, usually kickstarted by years of street demonstrations, a civil war or a revolution

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 21:07 | 3294512 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

Catalonia going to be a Ft. Sumter 2.0?

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:49 | 3294474 tony bonn
tony bonn's picture

...the Constitution is nothing but a law..."

another member of the bush crime syndicate exposed....i am sure that george "the constiution is nothing but a goddamned piece of paper" bush was cheering wildly in the background....

let catalonia leave - the nation the generals conceive is a kleptocratic, tyrannical, nazi hellhole...if you think secession is bad, wait until you see the wasteland a civil war creates....

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 23:10 | 3294702 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

i believe it was only after a terrorist attack on the train in Madrid that Spain joined Bushes coaltion of the willing in the war against IRAQ, London also had such an attack although their loyalty to Bush was probably never in question. either way if you joined (the Bush cabal) and you didn't get any security in exchange for membership you were screwed. if your country was attacked and you joined because of that, well you were screwed as well.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 06:02 | 3294996 falak pema
falak pema's picture

Lol, that is some sink hole of memory; when GWB played at being Saint Louis in 2003 operation "Iraq Freedom!".

With freedom like that I'm sure Catalonia will feel proud!

We always go from "enemy without" to "enemy within" when things get tuff! 

Then, Potus GWB, called up his faithful at AZores in 2003, and along came Aznar, Poodle Tony and wait for it : Barroso, then Portuguese PM, now EU Commission President, ex Trotskyist student leader in his turbulent youth during Carnation revolution of 1973/74 in Portugal, againt another diictator, Salazar's legacy. That regime was sending young soldiers to fight revolts in Portuguese colonies in 1974, whence the student rage of those days.

So now today, the Spanish government, caught upto its eye balls in saving corrupt banks, having hocked the future of its young generation for twenty years in total >50% unemployment limbo, with easy fire- easy hire neo-liberal economia as Bible, tells the richer Catalonian regime : you play ball or we clobber you  good like in 1936!...

Awesome return to past reality; as the capitalist system of first world grinds to halt not thru fault of young ones but the old ones hanging on to their illusionary equity stakes all compromised like icing on a badly baked, debt polluted cake, frothing like cauldron bubble in the hot, derivative fed market oven. 

Try telling the truth to the youth for once, Mr Rajoy,  instead of spinning lies and taking corruption bribes. 

This politico-banksta oligarchy has its head up its ass and bayonets ready to defend its upper class! 

Les Miserables! 

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 13:47 | 3295544 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

the point is either way, being a member of the coalition was a bad deal, just as i note that hosting the olympics also seems to be a path to disaster, Sareyvo, Athens, now China's economy is sinking, and the sun has been setting on the British empire for a while now. meanwhile in places like Cuba things aren't so bad, no narco trafficers, no collapsing economic union, avoiding coalitions and unions of any kind is the best way. (the smart thing to do in the Civil War was move to California, but it wasnt long before the USG went to war with the Indians and messed that up)

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 23:47 | 3294754 CompassionateFascist
CompassionateFascist's picture

You have it backwards. Spain - in a rare moment of collective rationality - pulled its troops out of Iraq after the Madrid bombing.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 21:02 | 3294497 otto skorzeny
otto skorzeny's picture

look how well Egypt has done letting the fucking dumbfuck military leadership decide who is "elected" as prez. that was the beauty of the original founding of the US- there was no powerful military establishment looking over the shoulder of the Founding Fathers that they had to run stuff through. I hate that Zionist Kissinger but what he said about military men is true.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 23:15 | 3294710 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

i thought it was a member of the muslim brotherhood who was elected, and muslims are generally against a standing military (see Iraq for instance) the problems in eqypt regarding some fundamentalist islamic law caused a problem, (SHIA law i believe) the same problem with moderates and fundamentalists that goes on in IRAQ,l where they were going to threw roses down at their liberators who brought the promise of Jeffersonian Democracy. (see Dick Cheney, best political skeet shooter this side of Obama)

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 21:59 | 3294599 Orly
Orly's picture

What'd he say, ot?

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 22:20 | 3294621 otto skorzeny
otto skorzeny's picture

military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy-h.k.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 21:25 | 3294541 Harbanger
Harbanger's picture

The beauty of the making of the US was that righteous men pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor, it resonates thru time.  That is something no King or worldly power can ever defeat.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 06:47 | 3295010 Supernova Born
Supernova Born's picture

Maximus meets Private Hicks.

"Maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events; but we just got our asses kicked."

Those moldering bones and the hermetically sealed sheepskins have been repeatedly ignored without repercussions by "worldly powers" for a very long time now.

And "ever defeat"? What specifically can't worldly powers EVER defeat?

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:51 | 3294471 Whiner
Whiner's picture

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And this is what I saw. A multi-million man march on Washington DC. Men with arms, torches and ropes. Men of all walks, in and out of uniform. And when they left, well when they left there was a new, smaller seat of central government. And I saw a great Angel, destroy The Federal Reserve Bank and cast its computers into The Basin. The the Angel took the gold remaining and multiplied it for a new currency. And the buildings were emptied and purified, The House to await the Annointed who was an American, The Congress to await the sons of Washington and Jefferson. And The High Court lay in ashes, no stone left upon another, only St. Scalia who rent his garments and proclaimed, the old corruptions are now passed away! And the men returned to their respective states to live and work in peace to elect delegates to write a new constitution.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 21:48 | 3296484 KnightTakesKing
KnightTakesKing's picture

There's nothing wrong with the "old" constitution. The problem is lack of virtue and character with our generation that renders it useless.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 12:41 | 3295430 Absinthe Minded
Absinthe Minded's picture

What a beautiful vision. I hope I live to see the day.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:57 | 3294495 CH1
CH1's picture

And this is what I saw. A multi-million man march on Washington DC.

I see a mutli-million man march AWAY from DC.

The effective thing is really simple: Stop obeying people who you know are liars and thieves.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 10:35 | 3295229 hootowl
hootowl's picture

STARVE THE BEAST!!!

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 03:24 | 3294943 bigkahuna
bigkahuna's picture

"He who does not punish evil commands it to be done." - Leonardo da Vinci

 

It is time.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:26 | 3294431 Jugdish
Jugdish's picture

Generlissimo Renaldo-Zapata Ortega Ramirez Estrada

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:19 | 3294417 lindaamick
lindaamick's picture

Any evidence that holding together the current nation states creates value for the majority of citizens?  Seems to me that the rich minority benefits but the rest of the people not so much. 

I say let these groups form their own countries or areas or whatever you want to name them. 

Militaries are really only useful when attempts are being made to control people or land areas.  These generals only care about preserving the status quo. 

If 55% of the youth are unemployed, the status quo is untenable. 

 

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 13:12 | 3295484 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

since the Victorian Age reality looks like this: in any territory on the map that becomes white (vacant) or black (anarchic), a flag will be planted

watch Mali, Syria, Lybia, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. etc.

meanwhile I still maintain you can't compare those numbers, but this is another story

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:45 | 3294466 CH1
CH1's picture

The great anti-session force in the world is the US State Dept. They put down every session they can, no matter the cost. It's more than a religion to them.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:12 | 3294395 overmedicatedun...
overmedicatedundersexed's picture

when banks go BK they should, when a country falls into lawlessness the military must act..the alphabet agencies for all that power better understand..the military will sweep them away..the military officer rarely bites the hand of elected leaders, but rarely does not mean never. from my perspective it is long over due..DC is corrupt, and worse yet incompetent and driving the country to economic suicide.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:18 | 3294406 otto skorzeny
otto skorzeny's picture

"The Union must be preserved" will again be the rallying cry for the troops by the statist-in-chief and tens of millions will die again

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:02 | 3294363 q99x2
q99x2's picture

Wow this is exactly what I was thinking earlier this week. Once the US Constitution is broken by the FEDS the military is freed to take over the US, remove the President and hold new elections after restoring constitutional rights. Not only that but they have the backing of the citizens, the option of confiscating the banksters stolen wealth, and the means to easily accomplish it all in short order.

Wonder how many US generals have been discussing this option.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 05:02 | 3294974 Stud Duck
Stud Duck's picture

I assure you those thought surely have been thought!

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:48 | 3294472 CH1
CH1's picture

Once the US Constitution is broken by the FEDS...

ONCE it is broken?

The Constitution has been broken for a long time, and repetitively. Pick your amendment: 1st, 4th, 5th, 10th, 2nd... and plenty of other violations.

The Constitution was trashed and the "patriots" - military or otherwise - did jack squat.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 23:32 | 3294736 willwork4food
willwork4food's picture

Well said Ch1. Trashed  under it takes a village Clinton,  gang-raped by Bush then community raped by the Ob.

The idiot that downvoted you must have the IQ of a cantalope.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 13:25 | 3295511 CH1
CH1's picture

Thanks, willwork.

I get routine down votes from the "Joo" obsessed contingent.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:53 | 3294484 otto skorzeny
otto skorzeny's picture

I like how the MSM that howls for the neutering of the 2nd amendment will be fucking blindsided when their fave-the 1st amendment is the next to go.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 21:28 | 3294549 Rusty Diggins
Rusty Diggins's picture

The MSM cares not for the first.  Their owners hand them a script and they read it.  Some groups are more "constitutionally" protected than others.

 

OR

 

One group is protected.  The law of rule as opposed to the rule of law.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:09 | 3294384 jeebus
jeebus's picture

I'd hope the US military would eventually stand up for the citizens. I suspect they would given that military suicides out number civilian casualites if we are to believe government stats. 

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 21:02 | 3294485 CH1
CH1's picture

I'd hope the US military would eventually stand up for the citizens...

I'm sorry to tell you that you need to let go of irrational hopes. The "good guys" haven't shown up, and they won't. We should have seen them riding in some time ago, but they never came.

We're on our own.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:13 | 3294399 otto skorzeny
otto skorzeny's picture

seriously? the police stations are full of psychopathic ex-military with itchy trigger fingers-they'll do as they are told lest they are fired and have to get a job in the real world.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 12:08 | 3295367 lakecity55
lakecity55's picture

Where do you live? Around here, I assure you, 90% of officers don't even believe skeeter is legal.

You will see something amazing when he goes full retard.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 13:28 | 3295519 CH1
CH1's picture

Okay, I'll bite: What is skeeter?

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:08 | 3294382 otto skorzeny
otto skorzeny's picture

uh-none. what the fuck do the generals care-they get a big fat pension, a well paying "consulting" or board of directors job at an MIC company and a whore courtesy of AIPAC to make sure they don't step out of line.

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 23:40 | 3294708 CompassionateFascist
CompassionateFascist's picture

well said, Otto. And here's Petraeus' nemesis, AIPAC whore Paula Kranz alias "Paula Broadwell", http://seductivejewess.com/type-ii162-paula-sarah-kranz-alias-paula-broadwell  

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 02:10 | 3294890 Orly
Orly's picture

Link doesn't work.

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 02:57 | 3294926 CompassionateFascist
CompassionateFascist's picture

Blocked by the ZOG, no doubt. So type in the URL on your browser. In contents cloud, click on Type II/#162. Once again, Judith slew Holofernes...

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 06:42 | 3295012 falak pema
falak pema's picture

Slew or blew? 

I am referring to the "new" Judith. 

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 19:49 | 3294326 jonjon831983
jonjon831983's picture

If it does happen, watch the ripple effect.

 

However, also watch the media play it as a temporary hiatus on elections as government "reorganizes".

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 19:47 | 3294322 Gordon Freeman
Gordon Freeman's picture

So what, Tet-pit?  To imply that ANY civilian government--no matter how incompetent, corrupt, and dangerous to the well-being of the citizenry--is, by definition, preferable to ANY military junta, is just wrong-headed.  A military takeover rught here in the US could scarcely be worse than what we're already dealing with...

Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:15 | 3294404 leftcoastfool
leftcoastfool's picture

The Pakistani solution?  It might be the only way to get rid of the parasitic elitists who already control most of our lives and wish to control it all.  The question is, are there enough honorable men and women among the General Staff to carry out such an act?  Maybe this country needs "a few good men"...

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!