Podcast Summary: "50 años para descubrir la verdad: las hermanas de García-Caparrós acceden a la documentación secreta del asesinato del joven de 18 años"
Podcast: Hoy por Hoy (SER Podcast)
Date: November 18, 2025
Host: Àngels Barceló
Guests & Contributors: Sara Selva (reportera), Loli García Caparrós (hermana), Miguel Ángel Gonzalo (director del archivo del Congreso), Toni Valero (diputado de IU), Eva García Sempere (diputada de IU)
Main Theme & Purpose
This episode focuses on the decades-long quest for truth by the García Caparrós family, as the sisters of Manuel José García Caparrós are finally granted access to secret Congressional documentation concerning his killing during a peaceful demonstration in Málaga in 1977. The program places this historic milestone within the broader context of Spain's collective reckoning with its post-Franco transition, transparency, and the persistent struggle for historical memory.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Contextual Background (00:00–01:40)
- The episode ties into the week’s commemorations marking Franco's death, with special programming on Spain's contemporary history.
- Àngels Barceló introduces the García Caparrós case as emblematic of unresolved truths from the transition to democracy.
- Manuel José García Caparrós, 18, was killed by police during a peaceful pro-autonomy demonstration on December 4, 1977.
- The shooter and circumstances remain officially unsolved despite initial investigations.
2. The Family’s Painful Journey (01:41–02:35)
- The secrecy began immediately:
- “Empezaron a mentir desde primera hora” (“They started lying from the very beginning”) — Loli García Caparrós [01:48]
- The family was falsely told he died in a traffic accident.
- Both parents died brokenhearted, with the weight of unanswered questions and official silence.
3. Locked Doors and a Persistent Fight (02:35–03:20)
- The sisters have spent 48 years confronting bureaucratic resistance, unfulfilled promises, and systematic obfuscation.
- The documents, stored deep in the Congress archives, have been under lock for decades, remaining secret under the original legislative framework.
4. Historical Archive and Its Significance (02:52–03:20)
- Miguel Ángel Gonzalo, archivist, describes the gravity and scope of the Congressional archive as “el archivo de la Memoria de la Democracia” (“the archive of the Memory of Democracy”) [02:56], underscoring the symbolic and factual importance of the kept secret documents.
5. The Symbolic Weight of García Caparrós (03:28–04:05)
- Toni Valero (IU) explains how Caparrós became a lasting symbol:
- “No era un héroe de la transición... era pueblo.” (“He wasn’t a hero of the transition with a famous name; he was the people.”) [03:57]
- IU politicians felt morally compelled to pursue truth and remembrance as a duty attached to public service.
6. Attempts to Access the Documentation (04:05–04:47)
- Eva García Sempere recalls her emotional and highly restricted access in 2017:
- “Entramos con todas la emoción del mundo... todo tenía que ser escrito, teníamos que tomar notas” (“We entered with all the emotion in the world... everything had to be written, we had to take notes”) [04:12]
- The documents were redacted, heavily censored for privacy under historic memory and archive laws.
7. The Legal Shift That Opened the Door (04:47–05:36)
- The approval of the Ley de Memoria Democrática created a new legal opportunity, enabling family members and heirs access to essential, unrevised historical documents from the transition—one less bureaucratic "lock" on the file.
- The Congress adapted its regulations to permit such access, with the archives’ director welcoming the sisters:
- “Las recibiremos, por supuesto, como un honor por parte del Congreso.” (“We will of course receive them as an honor, on behalf of Congress.”) [05:36]
8. Emotional Anticipation and Lingering Secrecy (05:44–06:48)
- Loli García Caparrós conveys a mix of hope and anxiety about finally learning the truth and the toll the fight has taken:
- “Están de los nervios, estábamos muy nerviosas... los vellos ya de punta, la ropa ya no me entra ni en el cuerpo, de verdad.” (“We’re all on edge, very nervous... hair standing on end, I can’t even fit my clothes, honestly.”) [05:56]
- Jokingly threatens civil disobedience if stonewalled: “Si no le entregan los documentos se encadena los leones de la puerta del Congreso y de allí no la mueven.” (“If they don’t give us the documents, I’m chaining myself to the lions outside Congress and nobody will move me.”) [06:35]
- Despite access, the documents are still officially secret and cannot be disseminated publicly.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Early Deceit:
“Empezaron a mentir desde primera hora.”
— Loli García Caparrós [01:48] -
On Symbolism:
“No era un héroe de la transición... era pueblo.”
— Toni Valero [03:57] -
On Emotional Toll:
“Los vellos ya de punta, la ropa ya no me entra ni en el cuerpo, de verdad.”
— Loli García Caparrós [05:56] -
On Historical Memory:
“El archivo del Congreso es el archivo de la Memoria de la Democracia.”
— Miguel Ángel Gonzalo [02:56]
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:00–01:40: Introduction, historical context, summary of the incident
- 01:41–02:35: Family’s perspective—pain and the beginning of their struggle
- 02:52–03:20: Archive description and what’s inside
- 03:39–04:05: Symbolic importance to Andalusian society
- 04:12–04:28: 2017 access attempt and emotional impact
- 04:47–05:11: Legal shifts enabling family access
- 05:56–06:35: Loli’s emotional expression and unresolved tension
Tone
The tone is solemn, compassionate, and resolute. Both the journalists and the family members speak with raw honesty and a sense of urgent historic justice, emphasizing the human cost of secrecy, while legislative and archival contributors underscore the gravity of unlocking this chapter of Spain’s democratic memory.
This episode stands as a testament to persistent human resilience in the face of state secrecy and a society’s ongoing commitment to transparent remembrance and justice for all its citizens.