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On Juan Priede’s Killing 24 Years On, La Razón Links Remembrance to Government Critique

The anniversary piece uses the Orio councilor’s murder to question the Sánchez government’s handling of political alliances.

Overview

  • Juan Priede, a PSE-EE councilor in Orio, was shot three times in the back inside the bar Gure Txoko on March 21, 2002, after ETA operatives tracked his routine.
  • In 2004, Spain’s Audiencia Nacional sentenced Ignacio Javier Bilbao Goikoetxea and Unai Bilbao Solaetxe to 45 years, Pedro Cano to 28 years, and Gregorio Escudero to 25 years, and ordered a joint €400,000 indemnity to Priede’s family.
  • Court findings describe collaborators conducting surveillance, a car stolen at gunpoint in Urnieta, the owner tied to a tree near Andoain, and the shooters’ getaway aided by an accomplice.
  • The article marks the 24th anniversary by arguing that the Spanish government overlooks such commemorations and by contrasting Sánchez’s coalition latitude with criticism of PP agreements with VOX.
  • Contextual references include past Basque parliamentary debates on dialogue instruments, with Arnaldo Otegi invoking the ‘Irish model’ to press for inclusive approaches.