Former Spanish President Felipe González features in declassified CIA documents as being the responsible for the terrorist group GAL in the “fight” against the Basque pro-independence movement. “[He] has agreed on the creation of a group of mercenaries … outside the law”, says the text.

These paramilitary death squads were in operation from 1983 to 1987; González was in office between 1982 and 1996.

For many this simply confirms the obvious (it was a poorly kept secret), and further evidences how Spain is a fundamentally flawed State where the Francoist dictatorship (1936-1975) morphed but never truly went away.

The political right never had a real problem with this and it is quite easy to trace a direct connection with the former fascist regime – they were never held accountable either. Still, it was necessary for the “left” (González was a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party) to become the backbone of the new “democracy”. Actually, the CIA should be familiar with this manoeuvre as it significantly aided González in his rise to power, just as it had happened in Portugal back in 1974 after the so-called Carnation Revolution and the role played by its own Socialist party, seen then as a buffer from the actual left-wing.

Truth is that González has not been shy in the past insinuating that sometimes the end justifies the means, a dangerous thing to say for someone who was supposed to uphold the highest ethical standards in an already complex situation.

More interesting facts to bear in mind: the Head of State at that time was King Juan Carlos I, now rumoured to be investigated for embezzlement, although he’ll probably flee abroad before nothing ever happens. His son, controversial King Felipe VI is the current Head of State since 2014, while González enjoys a luxurious retirement after having “worked” as an extremely well-paid consultant in a big private company; the good ol’ revolving door!

This is all public domain and can be found in the media. Do not look for it on the front pages of the major press outlets though.

Corruption, nepotism, State crimes, xenophobia, (Spanish) nationalism and supremacism, etc. These are all elements deeply embedded in the centralist psyche and yet more reasons why many claim for either a clean break from the current state of affairs, or independence (see Galicia/Galiza, Basque Country and Catalonia for example), or both.

Personally, sometimes I think that I don’t mind about historical, cultural, social or economic reasons anymore when I defend Galizan independence, but purely and simply the preservation of my own mental health in leaving all this rottenness behind.