Exposing the Hierarchical Treatment of Victims in Spain

• Journalist Àlex Romaguera’s new book, Víctimas S.A., analyzes how the Spanish state weaponizes the status of victims to create a hierarchy that marginalizes those harmed by state violence or far-right groups.
• The author argues that official recognition is often instrumentalized to support a specific political narrative, while victims outside of this 'official' sphere are denied truth, justice, and reparation.

Institutionalized Inequality

• Since the 1999 Law of Solidarity for Victims, state support and legal protections have been primarily reserved for victims of ETA.
• Victims of other forms of violence, including those by state security apparatuses or paramilitary groups, are systematically excluded from these benefits.
• The Association of Victims of Terrorism (AVT) is criticized for acting as a powerful political lobby that monopolizes the victim narrative and influences state policy to serve reactionary agendas.

Obstacles to Transitional Justice

• Spain has failed to fully address its dark history, hindered by the 1977 Amnesty Law and the 1968 Official Secrets Act, which prevent the declassification of documents related to past crimes.
• The lack of a truth commission in Spain stands in stark contrast to other nations like Argentina and Chile.
• Critics point to the continuity of judicial and police structures from the Franco era, which has shielded perpetrators and maintained a culture of impunity.

Resistance and Civil Society

• The author highlights the existence of a 'revolving door' where figures from victim organizations transition into political roles, reinforcing the symbiotic relationship between certain advocacy groups and major political parties.
• Despite state-sponsored narratives of forgetfulness, a new generation of activists, along with victims of various backgrounds, are challenging the official hierarchy.
• Civil society efforts, including memorial movements and international legal action, remain the primary force driving the pursuit of truth and reparation for all victims of political violence.