Description
Of Prisons, Whores, and Pistols
Book Summary
Manuel Avilés, director of the Nanclares de la Oca penitentiary center, narrates in the first person the secret operation that, together with the Secretary General of Penitentiary Institutions, Antonio Asunción, managed to fracture ETA from within. Through recordings and real testimonies, this book reveals how a group of ETA prisoners rebelled against the band's leadership, marking the beginning of the end for the terrorist organization. A stark and necessary memoir about the fight against terrorism in Spain.
What is it about?
In the early hours of December 2, 1991, Cadena SER news bulletins broadcast a story that would change the history of Spain: for the first time, ETA prisoners openly criticized the band's leadership and opposed indiscriminate attacks that had children as victims. The recordings, clear and unhidden, revealed names, surnames, and the histories of the dissenting ETA members.
Behind that operation were Manuel Avilés, director of the Nanclares de la Oca prison, and his friend Antonio Asunción, Secretary General of Penitentiary Institutions. Together they devised a risky plan that, from the anonymity of government offices, managed to initiate the decomposition of the armed group. This book is the account of that friendship and a promise kept, narrated with direct and uncompromising prose.
Main Topics
- The fight against ETA terrorism from within the penitentiary system
- The internal fracture of the terrorist group and the dissidence of its prisoners
- The operation known as the "Nanclares route" and its historical impact
- Friendship as a driver of risky political decisions
- The role of anonymous officials in the dismantling of terrorism
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in the recent history of Spain, ETA terrorism, and the inner workings of the anti-terrorist struggle. Also for those looking for non-fiction accounts based on real testimonies, with a human and political focus. Especially recommended for those who want to understand how the beginning of the end for the armed group was forged from within.
What this book provides
- First-hand testimony on a key secret operation in the fight against ETA
- Unpublished information on the internal dissidence of ETA prisoners
- A realistic and stark vision of penitentiary policy in the face of terrorism
- The story of a friendship that transformed the country's history
- Keys to understanding the disintegration of ETA from its own base
Technical Specifications
- Author: Avilés, Manuel
- Publisher: EDITORIAL ALREVES, S.L
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: True crime, organized crime, prisons, terrorism, armed struggle
- Collection: NON-FICTION
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: February 2021
- Number of pages: 281
- Weight: 588 g
Editorial Review
Of Prisons, Whores, and Pistols is an essential testimony for any reader who wishes to understand the process of ETA's internal decomposition from a little-known perspective: that of the prison officials who operated in the shadows. Manuel Avilés combines the rigor of a penitentiary professional with a direct and emotional narrative, offering a story that humanizes a major political operation. Its value lies in the authenticity of the events narrated and the light it sheds on a historical period that is not yet fully closed.