Basque priests denounced Franco regime despite Church hierarchy complicity

During the Francoist regime, Bishop Javier Lauzirika of the former Diocese of Vitoria used derogatory language to describe 339 Basque priests who publicly denounced the dictatorship. These priests had submitted a collective document to the Pope to report the regime's actions, including executions, imprisonment, and the suppression of political and social rights in the Basque Country.

The historical account notes that the Church hierarchy maintained complicity with the regime through the Concordat between Spain and the Vatican. While many members of the hierarchy supported Franco, these 339 priests acted as dissidents by breaking the silence regarding the repression and human rights violations occurring under the military dictatorship.