Spain's government Monday rejected a ceasefire by Basque fighters ETA as totally inadequate and demanded it renounce guns and bombs forever in its battle for an independent homeland. The government, opposition, and media were united in their deep scepticism over Sunday's video declaration of a ceasefire in the ETA campaign, blamed for the deaths of 829 people over 42 years. Three ETA members in berets and yellow hoods, sitting at a table against the background of ETA's symbol of a snake...

An unprecedented show of support for Israel has come from a group of almost entirely non-Jewish European and American politicians, statesmen and women and theologians. Led by former Spanish prime minister José Maria Aznar, they have formed the Friends of Israel Initiative, to oppose the rising tide of criticism and delegitimisation that has questioned Israel's right to exist and act in self-defence. The FII launched its British branch in the House of Commons on Monday, hosted by the...

The first seven political prisoners released by the Cuban government landed in Madrid Tuesday, July 13. The prisoners are part of the 75 dissidents who were arrested during a crackdown in 2003, reported The Associated Press and ABC. Six of the freed prisoners are journalists, according to the BBC: Léster Luis González Pentón, Omar Ruíz Hernández, Julio César Gálvez Rodríguez, José Luis García Paneque, Pablo Pacheco Avila y...

In a paper entitled "ETA members emigrate to Venezuela," it is said that the Spanish government works to "suffocate" the terrorist group in Latin America. "Therefore, they have deemed it strategic that representatives of the Interior in Caracas need to be experts in ETA terrorism. The Civil Guard has already sent a commander, who acts as attaché, while the Police has yet to appoint a commissioner who will act as counsel. Events such as the return of the...

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs will request Spanish National Court's Judge Eloy Velasco to provide details about his indictment pointing to evidence of Venezuelan government's cooperation with Basque separatist group País Vasco y Libertad (ETA) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and to establish what actions he deems necessary. The announcement was made by Spanish Minister of Justice Francisco Caamaño on Wednesday, Efe reported. According to...

The People's Party (PP), the main opposition party in Spain, considers that if the probe confirms that Hugo Chávez's administration supported the Basque separatist group ETA, the Spanish Executive should convene "immediately" its ambassador and "seriously consider the possibility of breaking relations" with Venezuela. María Dolores de Cospedal, the Secretary General of PP, made these statements when she referred to the accusation made by the Spanish...

The Spanish government wants to help "to ease tensions" between Caracas and Bogotá about the use of Colombian bases by US troops, said on Tuesday Juan Pablo de Laiglesia, the Secretary of State for Ibero-America. The government of Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero responded this way, the official said, to a request made by Colombia's President Álvaro Uribe. Spain is working to calm down tension between the two Latin American countries...

Aitor Elizaran Aguilar is a joint political chief of the group, Spanish anti-terrorism experts say. He was arrested with another senior member, Oihana San Vicente, in the north-western seaside town of Carnac. Eta is blamed for more than 820 deaths during its 41-year campaign for an independent Basque homeland. Spain and France have been working closely to crack down on the separatists. The pair were reported to be carrying handguns at the time of their arrest, officials said. Mr Elizaran is...

Spanish security forces are on high alert for the 50th anniversary of the founding of ETA, the armed separatist group blamed for more than 800 deaths since it began its campaign for the creation of an independent Basque state. The group is also suspected to be behind two bomb attacks over the last two days, which killed a two police officers and injured scores of people. Jose Luis Rodriguez, Spain's prime minister, said security forces would beef up their efforts to help prevent further...

Spanish authorities have closed ports and airports on Mallorca after two police officers were killed in a bomb attack on the island. The armed Basque separatist group Eta is suspected to be responsible for the explosion early this afternoon, which reportedly hit a police car on patrol in a street about 400 metres from the town's tourist-packed beaches. Spanish media reported that an unknown number of people were injured in the blast near the Civil Guard's Palmanova barracks, which is close...