In the late 90s, the landscape in the Basque Country changed radically when ETA expanded its list of targets to include the civilian population in its threat. In response to this new situation, an unusual profession emerged in Spain: that of bodyguard, responsible for safeguarding lives amidst the terrorist violence.
Hundreds of men and women, many of them without prior experience, became protectors, performing security duties for politicians like Eduardo Madina and Ainhoa Villanúa, among others. They arrived in the Basque Country with the mission of ensuring the safety of others, unaware of how this would affect their own lives.
Israel Viana, a journalist focusing on Culture and History at ABC, embarks on a journey to uncover the story of these forgotten bodyguards who defied danger to safeguard the lives of others. Through encounters with people like Javier Pagola, former ABC correspondent in the region, Viana unravels the experiences and memories of those dark years marked by the threatening presence of ETA.
In this series titled 'Bodyguards: The Shadow That Protected Me from ETA,' testimonies and experiences of men like Juan Luis Blanco Taboada, Rosa Amor, Aitor Goikoetxea, and Orlando, who played a crucial role during that time of conflict, are revealed. The narrative aims to reconstruct the memory of a turbulent period in the recent history of Spain, characterized by a constant terrorist threat.
The episodes, directed by Manuel Garre and Juan López Córcoles, address the precariousness of the training of these bodyguards, their bravery, and dedication. The series, available on various audio platforms such as Spotify, Ivoox, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Podimo, explores the valuable work of those who risked their lives to protect others during difficult times.
"Suddenly, the threat stopped being limited to a few and spread among the civilian population. In the late 90s, ETA mutated its strategy and expanded its list of targets. And thus, out of nowhere, a profession that had not existed in Spain until then was born," emphasizing the magnitude of the change brought about by terrorist violence during that time.
