Luis Carrero Blanco, Spain’s Prime Minister and Franco’s right-hand man, met an explosive end on December 20, 1973, when the Basque separatist group ETA turned his morning commute into an unscheduled space program. Known for his die-hard support of the dictatorship, Carrero Blanco was widely expected to continue Franco’s iron-fisted rule—until ETA decided to introduce him to the concept of flight.

Over several months, the group dug a tunnel beneath his daily route to church, packed it with explosives, and waited. When his car passed over, they detonated the charge with such force that it launched him over a five-story building. His car reportedly cleared a rooftop before crash-landing in a courtyard, earning him the nickname “Spain’s first astronaut.”

The assassination was a major blow to the Franco regime. Carrero Blanco had been Franco’s most trusted enforcer and was expected to ensure the continuity of the dictatorship after Franco’s death. His killing created a power vacuum and increased instability within the regime, contributing to Spain’s eventual transition to democracy after Franco died in 1975.
 
 
Product Specifications
100% ringspun cotton
Lightweight fabric
Runs small. Order up a size from normal
Tear-away label
Women's Sizing
Printed on a Bella+Canvas 6004 blank