Luis María Olalde Quintela, a former member of the Basque separatist group ETA, was rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building in Caracas following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026. The twin quakes have tragically claimed over 4,500 lives, including Olalde’s wife, Alazne Solabarrieta, who did not survive the disaster.

Olalde’s rescue brought renewed attention to his presence in Venezuela, prompting Spanish authorities to reactivate two judicial cases against him. He is accused of involvement in the 1979 attack that killed three Spanish civil guards, linked to his role in ETA’s ‘Urola’ command, according to reports from La Voz de Galicia.

Known by the alias “Txistu,” Olalde has lived in Venezuela for decades. Spain previously attempted to extradite him in the early 2000s, but without success. He remains on the Spanish government’s list of fugitives wanted by the Intelligence Center against Terrorism and Organized Crime, which, as of late 2025, included over twenty individuals across countries such as Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cuba, France, Mexico, Uruguay, and Venezuela, per El País.

Interestingly, during the 1980s, several ETA members found refuge in Venezuela under agreements between then Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González and Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Pérez.

Victims’ rights group Dignidad y Justicia has called this recent development “an exceptional opportunity” for Olalde to finally face justice in Spain for the alleged terrorist acts.

This case highlights the complex intersections of international justice, migration, and historical political conflicts—issues that resonate deeply with many migrants and expatriates navigating identity and accountability across borders.