Discrepancies in Access to García Caparrós Case Documents Highlight Political Tensions

Recent developments have revealed a significant discrepancy in how the Popular Party (PP) manages access to Congressional documents related to the murder of Manuel José García Caparrós, a young activist killed during a demonstration for Andalusian autonomy.

Access Granted by Andalusian PP

An Andalusian parliamentarian from the PP successfully obtained access to Congressional records concerning García Caparrós’s case in 2017. This access stands in stark contrast to the national PP’s refusal to provide the same documents to García Caparrós’s family, a decision that was confirmed by a vote in the Congressional Board.

The national PP’s stance raises questions, especially given the repeated assurances of support from Juan Manuel Moreno, the president of the Andalusian government, to the García Caparrós family.

Family’s Long Fight for Transparency

In recent weeks, the three sisters of García Caparrós have intensified their efforts to access the documents, a pursuit they have been engaged in for over a decade. They have formally requested access through various channels, and the Congressional Board is expected to vote on their request soon. This follows the introduction of new regulations governing access to Congressional archives, which were approved with support from the PSOE and Sumar, while the PP opposed the changes.

The upcoming vote will require the PP to clarify its position regarding the family’s access to the case files. A month ago, the PP’s negative vote in the Board caused considerable unrest in Andalusia, where Moreno has been carefully crafting a narrative of support for the García Caparrós sisters.

Contradictory Statements from the PP

Initially, the PP attempted to explain its negative vote by claiming that its Board members were unaware of the implications of their decision. However, evidence from the Board’s minutes indicates that the deputies were indeed aware that the legal reform directly impacted the García Caparrós family.

Recently, the spokesperson for the Popular Group in the Andalusian Parliament, Toni Martín, stated that the Board’s vote was not specifically about opening García Caparrós’s case file but was against a broader regulatory initiative. He added that the family would eventually gain access to the documents after a 50-year period, suggesting that the delay is not insurmountable.

This contradiction can be traced back to a time when Moreno’s PP was in opposition to the government led by Susana Díaz. On December 12, 2017, Juan Ramón Ferreira Siles, an Andalusian parliamentarian from Granada and a member of the Memory Commission, was authorized by the Congressional Board to review anonymized documents related to the case on behalf of the PP.

Ferreira is among the few individuals who have had the opportunity to examine the complete minutes of the Inquiry Commission that investigated the events surrounding García Caparrós’s murder in 1978. A letter from the Documentation, Library and Archive Directorate, issued in January 2025, indicated that a request from Sumar to declassify all documents related to García Caparrós’s murder was denied, citing the legislation that classified the documents as secret.

Attempts to reach Ferreira for comment have been unsuccessful.

Awaiting Access to Historical Records

The new regulations are designed to facilitate access to documents concerning victims of war, dictatorship, and other historical events, provided that the interested parties or their relatives make a request. This includes the complete, unredacted minutes of the Congressional commission that investigated García Caparrós’s murder.

The García Caparrós sisters have been informed that they will soon be summoned to discuss their request for access to the documentation. Although no specific date has been provided yet, Dolores, one of the sisters, expressed that after waiting so long, a few more days is inconsequential.

Key points

• An Andalusian PP parliamentarian accessed Congressional documents on García Caparrós in 2017.
• The national PP has denied access to these documents for García Caparrós’s family.
• Juan Manuel Moreno, the Andalusian president, has promised support to the family.
• The García Caparrós sisters have sought access to documents for over a decade.
• A new regulation on access to Congressional archives was recently approved.
• The PP’s negative vote in the Congressional Board has caused unrest in Andalusia.
• Juan Ramón Ferreira Siles was authorized to review documents related to García Caparrós’s case in 2017.