Witness History - The blockade of Gibraltar
Download The blockade of Gibraltar
In December 1982, Spain reopened its border with Gibraltar after a 13-year blockade of the disputed British territory. The border was closed by the dictator General Franco and led to the separation of families as well as a hardening of Gibraltarian attitudes towards Spain. It was only reopened when the new democratic government in Madrid wanted to join the European Union. Simon Watts talks to Tito Vallejo Smith, a retired defence worker and historian.
PHOTO: Gibraltarian and Spanish police officers side-by-side in the 1980s (Getty Images)
Published on Thursday, 17th December 2020.
Available Podcasts from Witness History
We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Witness History webpage.