Fernando Buesa
Encyclopedia
Fernando Buesa Blanco was a Spanish
Basque
politician in the Basque Christian Democracy and in the Socialist Party of Euskadi - Euskadiko Ezkerra
(PSE-EE) branch of the social democratic
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE). He was assassinated by ETA
.
Born in 1946 in Bilbao
, Basque Country
, Spain
, Buesa studied law
in Madrid
and Barcelona
and practiced from 1970 to 1986 in Vitoria-Gasteiz
. He was a councillor in Vitoria-Gasteiz (1983-97), a member of the parliament of the Basque Country
(1984-2000) and leader of Álava
province council (1987-91). Buesa was also deputy lehendakari
(president of the Basque government) and secretary of Education in a coalition PSE-Basque Nationalist Party
Basque government from 1991 to 1994.
From this position, he steered the process that moved the Basque-language
schools (ikastola
k) into either the Basque public education network or the Basque private education sector.
Fernando Buesa was married and had three children.
At the time of his death Buesa was the leader of the PSE-EE in Álava and the PSE-EE spokesman in the parliament of the Basque Country. He was killed by the terrorist group ETA while he was walking through the university campus in Vitoria-Gasteiz on the 22 February 2000. The car bomb
ing also killed his bodyguard, the ertzaina
(Basque policeman) Jorge Díez Elorza. The killing inspired a celebrated documentary by the Basque filmmaker Eterio Ortega Santillana titled Asesinato en Febrero ("Assassination in February").
His brother, an economics professor in Madrid, has become politically active analysing the economic implications of eventual Basque independence
.
The sports arena of the Vitoria-Gasteiz Baskonia
basketball
team, which was formerly known as Araba Arena, was renamed Fernando Buesa Arena
following his death.
Politics of Spain
The politics of Spain take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy, whereby the Monarch is the Head of State and the President of the Government is the head of government in a multi-party system. Executive power is vested in the government...
Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
politician in the Basque Christian Democracy and in the Socialist Party of Euskadi - Euskadiko Ezkerra
Socialist Party of Euskadi - Euskadiko Ezkerra
The Socialist Party of the Basque Country – Basque Country Left is the Basque affiliate of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. Although local socialist groups had been active since 1886, and many affiliated with the PSOE , the PSE was actually established as a branch of the main party only in...
(PSE-EE) branch of the social democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
(PSOE). He was assassinated by ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
.
Born in 1946 in Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
, Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Buesa studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and practiced from 1970 to 1986 in Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital city of the province of Álava and of the autonomous community of the Basque Country in northern Spain with a population of 235,661 people. It is the second largest Basque city...
. He was a councillor in Vitoria-Gasteiz (1983-97), a member of the parliament of the Basque Country
Basque Parliament
The Basque Parliament is the legislative body of the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain and the elected assembly to which the Basque Government is responsible....
(1984-2000) and leader of Álava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
province council (1987-91). Buesa was also deputy lehendakari
Lehendakari
The President of the Basque Government , usually known in English as the Basque regional president, is the head of government of Basque Country. The president leads the executive branch of the regional government....
(president of the Basque government) and secretary of Education in a coalition PSE-Basque Nationalist Party
Basque Nationalist Party
The Basque National Party is the largest and oldest Basque nationalist party. It is currently the largest political party in the Basque Autonomous Community also with a minor presence in Navarre and a marginal one in the French Basque Country...
Basque government from 1991 to 1994.
From this position, he steered the process that moved the Basque-language
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
schools (ikastola
Ikastola
An Ikastola is a type of primary and secondary school in the Basque Autonomous Community, Navarre and the French Basque Country in which pupils are taught either entirely or predominantly in the Basque language...
k) into either the Basque public education network or the Basque private education sector.
Fernando Buesa was married and had three children.
At the time of his death Buesa was the leader of the PSE-EE in Álava and the PSE-EE spokesman in the parliament of the Basque Country. He was killed by the terrorist group ETA while he was walking through the university campus in Vitoria-Gasteiz on the 22 February 2000. The car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
ing also killed his bodyguard, the ertzaina
Ertzaintza
The Ertzaintza , is the police force of the Basque Country, one of the autonomous communities of Spain. An Ertzaintza member is an ertzaina .- Origins :...
(Basque policeman) Jorge Díez Elorza. The killing inspired a celebrated documentary by the Basque filmmaker Eterio Ortega Santillana titled Asesinato en Febrero ("Assassination in February").
His brother, an economics professor in Madrid, has become politically active analysing the economic implications of eventual Basque independence
Basque nationalism
Basque nationalism is a political movement advocating for either further political autonomy or, chiefly, full independence of the Basque Country in the wider sense...
.
The sports arena of the Vitoria-Gasteiz Baskonia
Saski Baskonia
Saski Baskonia, S.A.D., known as Caja Laboral for sponsorship reasons, is a Spanish professional basketball club from the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team, which was formerly known as Araba Arena, was renamed Fernando Buesa Arena
Fernando Buesa Arena
Fernando Buesa Arena is an indoor sports arena in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. The arena's seating capacity, for basketball, is up to 9,900 people...
following his death.
External links
- Fundación Fernando Buesa Fundazioa (non-English)
- Asesinato en febrero, documentary film with interviews to *Basque Parliament lists activities of its historic members (not in English)