ETA's publicity stunt turns campaign

spotlight on Bildu
Freed ETA terrorist's Bildu banner causes political storm
EL PAÍS - Madrid - 11/05/2011

Ten days before local and municipal elections, the focus of a heated campaign
between the major parties has been turned by an incident on Tuesday, when a
newly released ETA terrorist held up a banner in support of the Bildu coalition
as he left jail.

In a statement directed at Ander Errandonea Arruti, Bildu officials said that the
former terrorist "should know that Bildu is only willing to fight through
democratic means."

While the publicity stunt by Errandonea, who flashed the Bildu banner as he
emerged from jail, has evoked concern among the political sectors, Deputy
Prime Minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba said that it will be up to the voters to
decide Bildu's future, now that the judiciary has allowed it to run in the race.

Despite objections from the attorney general, who said that the coalition was
part of an ETA strategy, the Constitutional Court last Thursday agreed to allow
Bildu to present candidates in the May 22 race. Bildu was formed through a
partnership between the Basque abertzale radical left and the parties Eusko
Alkartasuna and Alternatiba, and is fielding candidates on 254 slates in the
Basque Country and Navarre.

"It is now the terrorists who are seeking court protection," said Popular Party
spokesman Esteban González Pons. "The world is upside down. All we need now
is for the judges to allow Batasuna to go after us."