The Audiencia Nacional has ruled that the crimes imputed to former ETA leader María Soledad Iparraguirre, also known as Anboto, for the death of Miguel Ángel Blanco, a Popular Party councilor from Ermua (Bizkaia) kidnapped and killed by the group in 1997, are now prescribed. This decision comes after the PP used this case to attack the Prosecutor’s Office and the Attorney General of the State, Álvaro García Ortiz. The party accused Ortiz of “complicity” and “collaboration” with ETA due to the technical criteria he maintained. However, with this ruling, the PP has now shifted focus to accusing the PSOE of leading a “hidden pact” with Bildu to facilitate penitentiary benefits for ETA prisoners.
Despite the decision regarding Anboto, the PP has maintained a discreet profile on the matter. Daniel Portero, a Popular Party deputy in the Madrid Assembly and president of the victims association Dignity and Justice, has been one of the few to comment on the ruling, criticizing the prosecutors defending ETA leaders. The right-wing party has made the Attorney General of the State a target of its opposition politics, with Ortiz facing vehement attacks from the PP even before assuming the position. The party has accused him of collaborating with the terrorist group and preventing justice for victims like Miguel Ángel Blanco. However, the former spokesperson for the conservative Association of Prosecutors, Jesús Alonso, denied claims of political interference in the prosecutors’ decision.
The PP has gone beyond critiquing the technical and legal criteria of the Prosecutor’s Office, accusing the Attorney General of “aligning” with the armed group. The party has demanded Ortiz’s resignation, claiming that the Fiscalía General del Estado has sided with ETA defendants in the Blanco case. Despite these claims, the Audiencia Nacional has ruled in favor of the Public Prosecutor, stating that the crimes are prescribed and therefore the case against Anboto must be archived. The judges rejected the arguments of the popular accusations, which wanted to apply a law from 2010 declaring terrorism crimes with deadly outcomes as non-prescriptible, highlighting the importance of legal principles in their decision.
The decision by the Audiencia Nacional has put an end to the prolonged controversy surrounding the prosecution of former ETA members for their role in the death of Miguel Ángel Blanco. The ruling emphasizes the importance of legal certainty, non-retroactivity of penal laws, and the prohibition of arbitrariness by public authorities. Despite the protests from the PP and victims’ associations like Dignity and Justice, the judiciary has upheld the legitimacy of the Prosecutor’s Office in their handling of the case. The accusations of collaboration with ETA and obstruction of justice have been dismissed by the courts, highlighting the independence and impartiality of the judicial system in Spain.
In conclusion, the ruling by the Audiencia Nacional has provided clarity and closure to the legal proceedings against Anboto and other former ETA members implicated in the death of Miguel Ángel Blanco. The decision has debunked the accusations of collusion with ETA and manipulation of justice by the Prosecutor’s Office, putting an end to the political attacks launched by the PP against the Attorney General of the State. Moving forward, this ruling sets a precedent for similar cases involving crimes committed by terrorist organizations in Spain, reaffirming the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in the country.
