Biography

Blamed democracy for all of Spain's ills.

Had been involved in another attempted putsch in 1978, was sentenced to 30 years in jail for his role in the events of 1981, but was released after serving half that time.

Francisco Franco loyalist.

His father secured work at a military outpost, where the family would spend the early stages of the 1936-1939 civil war.

Spanish officer who led 1981 coup died on the day documents were declassified. In the 1981 coup, Tejero and his men held lawmakers hostage for some 17 hours, interrupting parliament's swearing-in of a new, democratically elected government. Their aim was forcing a return to dictatorship, five years after Franco's death had ushered in Spain's first free and fair elections in four decades. However this failed.