Santiago Brouard

Santiago Brouard or Santi Brouard (1919 – 20 November 1984) was a doctor and Basque politician. He was one of the leaders of Herri Batasuna, and deputy mayor of Bilbao. He was killed by the Spanish government's death squad, the Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación (GAL), in one of its highest-profile acts. Broaurd was shot by GAL gunmen Luis Morcillo and Rafael López Ocaña as he left his paediatric clinic in Bilbao.

Early years Born in the town of Lekeitio, Brouard studied medicine in the university of Valladolid. After finishing his studies, he went back to the Basque Country and specialized in paediatrics in Basurtu hospital. He married Teresa Aldamiz, with whom he had three children. He helped create the first ikastolas (schools where lessons were given in Basque language) in Bizkaia.

Joining politics In 1974, Brouard had to escape to the Northern Basque Country (French side of the Basque Country) after he treated an ETA member who had been shot by the Spanish police. There he met leading ETA members, such as Argala. He took part in the creation of the KAS alternatiba when Franco's regime was about to end. Brouard was one of the creators of EHAS, the group that after 1977 would be known as HASI. Brouard was named president of HASI and when Herri Batasuna was created, he became a member of that party. He always saw himself as Basque nationalist and socialist. He became a member of the National Executive of Herri Batasuna, and later became a deputy in the Spanish parliament in Madrid. At the same time, he was a deputy mayor of Bilbao.

Death

Santi Brouard had been warned that right-wing Spanish paramilitary groups had targeted him, but he said he would not flee and that he would not lock his office door because of it. On 20 November 1984 Luis Morcillo and Rafael López Ocaña shot him dead at his workplace.

Recognitions The mayor of Bilbao named a street after Brouard in the neighbourhood of Ametzola. The mayor of Lekeitio named the public sportsfield of the town after him. On the 40th anniversary of his murder, a public memorial was service held in Bilbao.