Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy – Comando Norte | “El corazón del libro, y también de la serie, es el heroísmo de la traición”

Date: November 18, 2025
Participants: Àngels Barceló (Host, "Ángel"), Javier Cercas (Author), Alberto Rodríguez (Director), Nacho Carretero, Aitana Castaño

Episode Overview

In this special edition of "Hoy por Hoy", the panel discusses the legacy and narrative of the 1981 attempted coup d’état in Spain ("el 23-F"), focusing on Javier Cercas’ acclaimed “novela sin ficción” Anatomía de un instante and its television adaptation directed by Alberto Rodríguez. The episode explores history, memory, heroism, and the nuanced notion of “the heroism of betrayal” embodied by the three central figures: Adolfo Suárez, Gutiérrez Mellado, and Santiago Carrillo. Through personal memories and comments on the series, the panel reflects on how this pivotal event and its adaptation resonate with today’s society and politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historical Memory of the 23-F Coup Attempt

• Recollection as Collective Memory (01:02 – 03:00):

  • Ángel and Javier Cercas discuss their vivid (and sometimes mythified) memories of that day, highlighting that although most Spaniards didn’t witness it live, the event left an indelible mark.
  • Cercas recounts arriving home to his mother on edge, sensing “algo muy gordo” (something very serious had happened).

    "El miedo encerró a la gente en su casa... no hubo una reacción popular al golpe."
    — Javier Cercas (04:21)

• Atmosphere of Fear and Depression (03:40 – 05:50):

  • Spain’s democracy was in a state of depression, with faith in democracy having plummeted from ~90% to less than 30% between 1976 and 1981, amidst economic crisis and terrorism.

2. Personal Testimonies Across Generations

• Multigenerational Perspectives (06:13 – 09:00):
  • Alberto Rodríguez, only nine years old at the time, remembers hours of unprecedented TV viewing and household anxiety.
  • Nacho Carretero wasn’t born yet, sharing his parents’ divided emotional responses: his mother’s despair vs. his father’s calm.
  • Aitana Castaño, also a child then, describes her father’s tense experience as secretary of the Communist Party in Asturias, with threats and uncertainty abounding.

3. Book, Series, and Narrative Choices

• Adapting Reality Through Fiction (10:21 – 12:00):

  • Rodríguez aimed not just to recount the events, but to adapt Cercas’ complex literary vision—framing the events through “los tres traidores” who redefined Spanish democracy.

    "Lo que queríamos era aproximarnos a eso, simplemente."
    — Alberto Rodríguez (10:59)

• Perspective, Truth, and Subjectivity (11:47 – 13:00):

  • Cercas emphasizes his literary portrayal is faithful but filtered, showing real people shaped by narrative perspective.

4. The Heroism of Betrayal

• Reframing Virtue and Loyalty (13:06 – 16:40):
  • The heart of Cercas’ book and Rodríguez’s series is the “heroísmo de la traición”—the moments in history where betraying one's group for a greater good is the true act of virtue.

    "Estamos acostumbrados a pensar que la lealtad es una virtud... pero hay determinados momentos en que es más virtuosa la traición que la lealtad."
    — Javier Cercas (13:39)

  • Each protagonist—Suárez, Carrillo, Mellado—is portrayed as a traitor to their faction to enable democracy.

5. Casting and Characterization in the Series

• Casting Challenges & Choices (17:14 – 19:40):
  • Rodríguez shares how casting iconic figures was daunting, with Eduard Fernández, Álvaro Morte, and Manolo Solo transforming into Carrillo, Suárez, and Mellado respectively.

    "El casting es una de las claves de la serie... la atmósfera, la verdad con la que está cargada la serie..."
    — Nacho Carretero (18:25)

6. Individual Agency and the Role of the King

• Solitude of Leadership (19:51 – 22:00):
  • Cercas highlights Suárez’s isolation towards the end, as even King Juan Carlos withdrew support.

    "El Rey al final abandona a Suárez... todo el mundo abandona a Suárez."
    — Javier Cercas (20:18)

• Clarity and Mythmaking (22:09 – 24:00):
  • Cercas insists that, contrary to much myth, the events of 23-F are well documented, though conspiracy theories persist.

7. Historical Context vs. The Present

• Comparing Past and Present Polarization (31:29 – 33:45):
  • The group recalls the ferocity and difficulty of the late Transition compared to today's polarization.

    "La polarización de ahora casi se queda corta con la de entonces... era a muerte."
    — Javier Cercas (33:01)

8. The Texture of the Past: Atmosphere and Details

• Realism and Setting (26:16 – 27:10):

  • Details such as omnipresent tobacco smoke—used almost as a unifying motif—are insisted upon to evoke authenticity.

• Role of Humor (27:31 – 29:40):

  • While the series incorporates some humor, Cercas asserts his book minimized it, aware of the tendency to trivialize the coup as an “operetta” after the fact.

    "El principal cliché... es que fue un golpe de opereta, que fue una bromita... Eso es una trola como una casa."
    — Javier Cercas (29:25)

9. Responsibility and Adaptation

• Challenges in Adaptation (37:52 – 40:02):
  • Rodríguez felt anxiety adapting such a canonical work—“un caramelo envenenado”—especially while filming in the actual Congress, which required both speed and transformation to suit the period.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Fictionalization of the 23-F:

  “Esto era una inmensa ficción colectiva, o sea, un baúl de bulos y de bolas. (…) ¿Qué es un español o una española? Es una persona que tiene una teoría del golpe de Estado el 23 de febrero.”
  — Javier Cercas (22:48–23:47)

• On the 'Heroism of Betrayal':

  "El corazón del libro, y es el corazón de la serie, es el heroísmo de la traición… en la vida de los países en que es más virtuosa la traición que la lealtad."
  — Javier Cercas (13:39)

• On Historical Myth vs. Truth:

  “Sabemos perfectamente lo que ocurrió... vende mucho más decir que hay relato político, que este, que lo otro. Sólo nos faltan por saber algunos detalles. Por ejemplo, la marca de calzoncillos del general Armada.”
  — Javier Cercas (23:47–24:17)

• On the Challenge of Adaptation:

  “Era un caramelo envenenado el proyecto, por decirlo de alguna forma.”
  — Alberto Rodríguez (39:04)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• The Emotional Impact and Silence of 23-F: 01:02–05:52
• Generational Recollections & Anxieties: 06:13–09:00
• Book vs. Series – Approaches to Adaptation: 10:21–13:00
• Concept of 'Heroísmo de la Traición': 13:39–16:45
• Casting Choices and Actor Transformations: 17:14–19:40
• Isolation of Leaders, Role of the King: 19:51–22:00
• 21st-Century Conspiracies & Myths: 22:09–24:17
• Atmosphere, Humor, and Realism: 26:16–29:40
• Parallels between Past and Present Politics: 31:29–34:06
• The Educational Purpose of the Series: 34:50–37:12
• Adapting & Shooting in Congress: 39:04–40:02

Engagement & Utility

This episode weaves history, memory, and storytelling—offering both a detailed backdrop on a defining episode in Spanish democracy and a rich discussion about how literature and television adapt, shape, and question the collective memory. The lively, conversational tone is preserved, allowing listeners unfamiliar with the 23-F or the book to grasp its complexity and ongoing relevance.

Highly recommended for those interested in Spanish history, memory studies, adaptation, and the moral paradoxes behind political transition.