Virginia Barcones attends the Palencia Command to pay tribute to the Palentine Civil Guards killed by the terrorist group ETA

• The seven agents killed were from Puebla de Valdivia, Villambrán de Cea, Frechilla, Cillamayor, Ampudia and two from Palencia capital • The government delegate has stressed that Spanish society does not forget those who were killed for “protecting our freedom and democracy”

September 29, 2023.- The Government delegate in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, attended the Palencia Command to pay tribute to the seven Palentine Civil Guards killed by the terrorist group ETA. During it, the buildings of the Palentine quartering have been designated with the name of the agents killed.

The event was attended by the deputy delegate of the Government in Palencia, Ángel Domingo Miguel Gutiérrez; the General of Division Chief of the Zone of Castilla y León, Luis Antonio del Castillo; the lieutenant colonel of the Command of Palencia, Rafael Campos Martín; and the mayor of Palencia, Miriam Andrés, among other authorities and relatives of the victims.

Virginia Barcones has explained that a terrorist group ETA attacked the Civil Guard to attack the Spanish State and to try to sow panic among all Spaniards. The members of the Civil Guard, and the members of the National Police, were “the first line of defense in the country as they continue to be today in the face of any criminal act.”

The delegate of the Government added that the Benemérito corps, which is always at the forefront in the defense of the most vulnerable, soon became the target of the most violent actions of terrorism that replaces “lead and bombs with dialogue and life in democracy.”

“The terrorist actions of ETA left a trail of bloodshed, a long list of murders and endless pain in the families of the victims,” he added. Widows, orphans, fathers and mothers whose lives were stained black forever and whose bitterness also suffered in Spanish society.

El terrorismo asesinó a 243 guardias civiles e hirió a más de 500. ETA murdered 210 civil guards, 150 national police, 47 military and 41 local or regional police. “Seven of those civil guards were Palentine. Today, we pay tribute to them by designating with their names the buildings of this quartering,” he explained.

Virginia Barcones has pointed out that society does not forget those who were killed for the mere fact of “protecting our freedom and democracy.” They are reminded in many events that there are throughout the country.

“We do not want, we cannot, we must not forget the seven Palentine civil guards killed by terrorism,” explained Barcones, who named the seven murdered civil guards:

First Sergeant Luciano Mata Corral, from Puebla de Valdivia. Assassinated by the terrorist group ETA in Las Arenas on October 22, 1978. He left a widow and two children.

Cabo Miguel Gordo García, from Villambrán de Cea. Assassinated by the terrorist group ETA in Barakaldo on April 11, 1976. He left a widow and a son.

Civil Guard Francisco Mota Calvo, from Frechilla. Assassinated by the terrorist group ETA in Azpeitia on January 15, 1979. He left a widow and two children.

Antonio Pastor Martín Civil Guard, from Palencia. Assassinated by the terrorist group ETA in Rentería on July 29, 1979.

Civil Guard Adrián Dionisio Pastor Martín, from Cillamayor. Assassinated by the terrorist group ETA in Arechavaleta on November 23, 1986.

Civil Guard Juan José Catón Vázquez, of Palencia. Assassinated by the terrorist group ETA in Madrid on April 25, 1986.

Retired Civil Guard Justino Quindós López, from Ampudia. Assassinated by the terrorist group ETA in Azkoitia on June 28, 1980. He left a widow and two children.

The Government delegate concluded by pointing out that the victims of terrorism must always remain present in the collective memory of this country. “And their relatives must feel our support that also serves to delegitimize any terrorist act and the use of violence,” he said, adding that future generations must be aware of the pain caused by terrorism to prevent a similar situation from happening again.