CONTINUE
When Ortega Lara left the Civil Guard, he signed a rosary of new lives in the fight against terrorism, led by the Armed Institute. Between the Mondragón operation, on July 2, 1997, and the trap truce of September 1999, just two years later, the continuous police coups weakened ETA to extremes that he had never imagined before.
Without wishing to be exhaustive, in those 24 months the Vizcaya command fell in an operation in which two terrorists appeared when confronting the agents; a major raid in France against the logistics apparatus, key to the organization; The dismantlement of the Araba commando and only two days later the Andalucía commando was dismantled.
The confusion in ETA was palpable, because they did not know how it was possible that it suffered so much damage in such a short period of time. His response was made known on September 19, 1999, when he declared a truce. The Government of José María Aznar was aware from the first moment that it was a strategy to buy time and be able to arm and reorganize.
No pressure
The Security Forces transmitted the most reliable information that confirmed it. However, that period also depends on the Civil Guard and the Police to work without the pressure of the murders.
The Popular Party government began talks with ETA even though it knew they were not going to get anywhere. Indeed, 439 days later, the gang murdered Lieutenant Colonel Pedro Antonio Blanco again, specifically in Madrid. But by then the organization of the ax and the snake was already sentenced and its defeat would be police. As has been seen since the release of Ortega Lara.
