| Warriors of Christ the King | |
| Leader: | Mariano Sánchez Covisa |
| Motives: | Opposition to separatism, communism, secularism and democracy |
| Ideology: | Traditionalism Spanish nationalism National Catholicism Catholic fundamentalism Neo-fascism[1] |
| Position: | Far-right |
| Attacks: | Montejurra massacre |
| Status: | Inactive |
| Size: | Unknown |
| War: | Basque conflict |
| Allies: | Batallón Vasco Español Alianza Apostólica Anticomunista Grupos Armados Españoles Acción Nacional Española Antiterrorismo ETA |
| Opponents: | Carlist Party Basque National Liberation Movement
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The Guerrilleros de Cristo Rey (English: Warriors of Christ the King) was a far-right paramilitary organisation active in the late 1970s in Spain, primarily in the Basque Country and Madrid, but also in Navarre.
The group emerged at a time of factionism within the Carlist movement. Historically Carlism was a traditionalist, legitimist and Catholic movement, supporting a different monarchical line to the one occupying the Spanish throne.
Under the leadership of Carlos Hugo, the group began to support a left-wing, social democrat ideology under the banner of the Carlist Party. This caused large-scale conflict within the movement; many proclaimed his more traditionalist-minded brother, Sixtus Henry, as Carlist regent. Probably the most notable incident involving the group was the Montejurra massacre of 1976, which happened during the annual Carlist pilgrimage to the Montejurra mountain in Navarre. During this attack, two supporters of the Carlos Hugo faction (Ricardo García Pellejero and Aniano Jiménez Santo) were killed. José Luis Marín García Verde and Hermenegildo García Llorente, alleged members of this armed group, were arrested later, but were later released without investigation as Manuel Fraga (Member of Franco's political board) gave direct instructions not to prosecute these murders. The presence of known European Fascist criminals, active in organisations such as Batallón Vasco Español or Alianza Apostólica Anticomunista and Italy in this has led to some speculating a link to the Cold War-era Operation Gladio.
Attacks attributed to the Warriors of Christ the King: