Our regular readers will be familiar with our close connection to the Limako Arantzazu Euzko Etxea – Lima Basque Center. This Basque center, created in mid-2019, and the historical Brotherhood of Our Lady of Aranzazu of Lima it’s born of, has had a very close relationship with the blog, which has allowed us to collaborate on many matters.
And we are collaborating again today because just twelve hours ago, they released a statement regarding the emergency situation in the US, brought on by the insurgent movement led by followers of the outgoing president of that nation. As we all watched, dumbstruck, thousands of his faithful stormed the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United States. Their intention was to stop the work of the legitimately-elected leaders of that country from certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the November 2020 elections.
As we’ve stated before, the Euzko Etxea is based in Lima, but a large number of the members of the Brotherhood, who are spread out throughout the Americas, are in the United States, and that is why the Euzko Etxea and the Brotherhood have felt especially affected by the events, and felt the need to release a statement condemning what was happening.
And we join them.
After the worrying events in Washington and throughout the Nation
The following statement to position itself against the movement of the Francoist insurrection that was trying to subvert the legal order of the Spanish Republic:
“Given the events taking place in Spain, and the direct and painful repercussions they could have on Euzkadi and its destiny, the Basque Nationalist Party declares—except those whose ideology would have them only ratify—that, given the fight between the citizens and fascism, between the Republic and the Monarchy, its principles leave it only to side with the Citizens and with the Republic, in consonance with the democratic and republican government that was exclusive to our people in their centuries of freedom.”
On this tragic day for the United States of America, we as US citizens of Basque descent and enemies of coups d’état and totalitarianism, wish to adapt those words to the worrying situation we are currently going through.
Given the events currently underway in our country, which have such a direct and painful repercussion on its destiny, we declare—except all those whose political beliefs would have them solemnly ratify—that, given the fight between the citizens and the coup mentality, between Democracy and Totalitarianism, our principles would have us side with the Citizens and with Democracy, in consonance with the democratic and republican government that has guided our great country since it was created with the blood shed by so many Americans in the struggle for freedom.
At this distressing juncture, it is a good idea to remember the victory of the subversion against the legitimate government of the Second Spanish Republic ended up bringing 40 years of fascist dictatorship. Nor is it a bad idea to recall that just over 50 years prior, the only and legitimate bodies of representation of the Southern Basques were dissolved by force by part of a government alien to those Basques and imposed upon them after a war. Those Basque Parliaments took almost 150 years to be reconvened.
The United States of America has been a beacon of Freedom for the world for two centuries. We cannot help remember that in the middle of the Second World War, when the President of the Basque Government, Lehendakari José Antonio Aguirre, a highly respected member of the Basque Nationalist Party, took refuge in the United States to escape the Francoist dictatorship and his Nazi allies.
Today, that image has suffered great, and perhaps permanent, harm, due to the irresponsible and criminal actions of some fanatics who have stormed the Senate and the Congress, trying to coerce the Representatives of the Nation. This responsibility must be extended to all those who did nothing to impede it.
So, it is essential that the citizens of the United States, and their political representatives, especially those who are members of the same party as the departing president, make clear their position against the criminal assault on the temple of democracy of our nation and the vile and despicable attempt at annulling the will of the people as expressed in the last presidential elections in a manner that has been shown time and again to have been free of fraud.
Limako Arantzazu Euzko Etxea – Lima Basque Center
Emilia Olga Bazán Olano
President
Brotherhood of Our Lady of Aranzazu
Iñaki Josu Bazán
Representing
Last Updated on Apr 2, 2021 by About Basque Country