Ernesto Caballero Castillo, Spanish communist leader, dies at 91

Ernesto Caballero Castillo, a prominent leader of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) and a significant figure in the struggle for civil liberties during the Franco dictatorship, has died at the age of 91.

Caballero held several high-ranking positions, including provincial secretary of the PCE in Córdoba, member of the Regional and Central Committees, and deputy in both the Parliament of Andalusia and the Spanish Congress of Deputies. He was recognized for his active opposition to the Franco regime during the 1960s and 1970s and his role in the democratic transition.

Political leaders, including Izquierda Unida federal coordinator Antonio Maíllo and PCE Secretary General Enrique Santiago, praised his integrity, discretion, and lifelong commitment to democratic values. Caballero's political legacy is also tied to his family history; his father, Julián Caballero Vacas, was a former mayor and a leader of the anti-Francoist guerrilla movement in the Sierra Morena region.