The former heads of ETA Txapote and Henri Parot, transferred to prisons in the Basque Country

The Ministry of the Interior has agreed with the Basque Government the transfer of another 13 ETA prisoners to prisons in the autonomous community, among which are several heavyweights of the gang, with long sentences and dozens of murders behind them.

Among the displaced is Javier García Gaztelu, alias

, historical head of the terrorist group and responsible for the death of popular councilor Miguel Ángel Blanco and in a Madrid prison since 2005 for a dozen murders.

In 2019, in addition, the former ETA military chief was sentenced to 33 years in prison for ordering the murder of prison official Máximo Casado.

The decision has caused a strong clash between the PP and the Government of Pedro Sánchez.

The popular have accused the president of having "delivered the dignity of the Spanish", while La Moncloa recalls that the PP governments brought 803 ETA prisoners closer.

The PP has reacted by linking the approach of these prisoners with the support of Bildu to some legal initiatives of the Executive.

“We are seeing that Sánchez is willing to pay Bildu in exchange for his support in the Budgets or in laws such as the Democratic Memory or the validation of the energy decree.

Sánchez shows that he is capable of absolutely anything in order to remain in La Moncloa, including surrendering the dignity of the Spaniards.

He does not have any type of limit ”, has criticized the general secretary of the PP, Cuca Gamarra.

On the other hand, the Government defends the “absolute legality and transparency” of the transfers.

"In penitentiary matters, all decisions are made individually and in strict compliance with the law, with total transparency and are subject to judicial control," state government sources.

“Serving the sentence close to the social and family environment is not a prison benefit, it is a right of all inmates.

With ETA gone and its terrorist activity, that right cannot be violated, which also in no case implies a reduction in sentence or anything similar, ”they argue in the Executive.

La Moncloa recalls that “between 1996 and 2004, the governments of José María Aznar ordered 574 transfers of ETA prisoners to prisons near the Basque Country.

And between 2011 and 2018, Mariano Rajoy did the same on 229 occasions”.

La Moncloa recalls that “between 1996 and 2004, the governments of José María Aznar ordered 574 transfers of ETA prisoners to prisons near the Basque Country.

And between 2011 and 2018, Mariano Rajoy did the same on 229 occasions”.

La Moncloa recalls that “between 1996 and 2004, the governments of José María Aznar ordered 574 transfers of ETA prisoners to prisons near the Basque Country.

And between 2011 and 2018, Mariano Rajoy did the same on 229 occasions”.

Interior also displaces Henri Parot,

imprisoned in a center in León since 1990 with a cumulative sentence of 41 years for 39 murders, homicides and attacks

Parot became especially well-known after naming the doctrine established by the Supreme Court in a 2006 ruling that responded to an appeal by the convicted person.

The High Court then considered that the sentence reduction should be applied to the total sentence and not to the legal maximum allowed, 30 years.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), however, overturned this controversial doctrine in 2013, after an appeal by ETA member Inés del Río, considering that its retroactive application violated the European Convention on Human Rights.

This meant the release of numerous convicts who had seen their sentences lengthened after the approval of the doctrine.

Txapote, who has been serving a sentence in Madrid's Estremera prison for more than a year, has passed to the second degree or ordinary regime.

He entered prison on December 15, 2005 and is serving an accumulated sentence of 30 years for murder, attack and kidnapping, among others.

He was the military chief of ETA and is considered one of the band's hardliners.

He accumulates sentences that exceed 500 years in prison for, among other murders, those of Miguel Ángel Blanco;

Fernando Buesa and his escort, Jorge Diez Elorza;

Fernando Mujica;

Gregorio Ordonez;

Jose Luis Lopez de Lacalle;

and two civil guards in Sallent de Gállego (Huesca).

The others convicted of terrorism who will be transferred to Basque prisons are these:

• Aitor Aguirrebarrena Beldarrain

  , who entered an Asturian prison in September 2009 for a similar conviction;

• Ismael Berasategui Escudero

  , from Logroño, with a sentence of 25 years for a conviction for havoc and fire, possession of weapons and explosives, and forgery;

• Jon Bienzobas Arretxe

  , in a Palencia prison since 2018 for a 266-year sentence for murder and terrorism offences;

• Manex Castro Zabaleta

  , from Cantabria, sentenced to 40 years and in prison since 2009;

• Óscar Celarain Ortiz

  , from a center in Soria, where he had been since 2008 for a 30-year sentence for murder, havoc and possession of explosives;

• Juan Manuel Inciarte Gallardo

  , from a Cantabrian prison where he entered in August 2009 to serve a 30-year sentence for murder.

• Félix Alberto López de Lacalle Gauna

  ,

  Mobutu,

  in a prison in Asturias since 2016, serving a cumulative sentence of 30 years.

• Eider Pérez Aristizabal

  , from a prison in Zaragoza, where he has been serving a 30-year sentence since March 2001 for attack, collaboration with an armed gang and possession of explosives.

• Juan Luis Rubenach Roiz

  , in a Cantabrian prison since April 2019 for two accumulations of a 30-year sentence for murder, attempted murder and havoc.

• Jon Igor Solana Matarrán

  , from Zaragoza, where he was serving an accumulated sentence of 30 years since 2000 for murders, homicides and attacks, among others.

• José Antonio Zurutuza Sarasola

  , from a center in Burgos, where he entered in December 2007 to serve a 30-year sentence for murder.