Maria Pedraza as Maider (Image via Youtube/Netflix)

Bank Under Siege ending explained: Why did the robbers demand to release Colonel Tejero?

Modified Nov 09, 2024 11:48 GMT

Bank Under Siege is a Spanish political drama miniseries directed by Daniel Calparsoro and produced by Brutal Media for Netflix. Set in May 1981 in Barcelona, Spain, the show tells the story of a bank heist in which 11 masked men entered the headquarters of the Central Bank and took 300 people hostage, creating one of the biggest political crises in Spain.

The series is based on the actual Central Bank hostage crisis that happened just three months after the failed coup attempt by Colonel Tejero and other members of the Civil Guard. The story unfolds through the eyes of a passionate reporter, Miader, who races against time and risks her life to uncover the truth, even after the world has moved on.

In Bank Under Siege, Miader discovers that the robbers were hired by Manglano to extract an important document from the 156th deposit box. The demand to free Colonel Tejero was just a distraction to buy time to drill an escape tunnel.

Bank Under Seige premiered on Netflix on November 8, 2024. The cast includes Miguel Herrán, María Pedraza, Juan José Ballesta, Rafael Ayuso, Claudio Villarrubia, and Hovik Keuchkerian in prominent roles.

The demand to release Colonel Tejero was a decoy to buy time in Bank Under Siege

Bank Under Siege presented a thrilling narrative of the 37-hour bank heist that shook Spain in 1981. The 11 masked robbers demanded the authorities free Colonel Tejero and three other prisoners involved in the attempted coup that happened three months earlier.

In the final episode of Bank Under Siege, the siege ended, and all the hostages were freed. The robbers, including Jose Juan Martinez, tried to escape disguised as hostages but were all caught. Officer Paco Lopez interrogated Martinez and discovered that Martinez and his gang were a bunch of thugs and anarchists, not members of the Civil Guard or any other political or military group.

Their motive behind the heist was completely financial, and the whole plot about releasing Tejero and other prisoners was just a distraction so they could build a tunnel to the sewer and escape with the cash.

Jose Martinez confessed to working for Manglano to extract a secret document

Soon after the crisis ended, General Aramburu Topete held a hastily organized press conference, stating that there was no involvement of Civil Guards in the case. This angle was presented by Miader before any other reporter, earning her praise in her office.

Jose Martinez confessed that he was hired by the director of CESID, Manglano, to secure a sensitive document from the 156 deposit box of the bank. The money in the bank was supposed to be the payment for the job. However, he was betrayed as he was given a false blueprint of the bank, and the wall through which they were supposed to drill turned out to be impenetrable.

This information was never revealed to the public. President Calvo Sotelo soon addressed the parliament, stating that far-right elements were behind the heist, namely Antonio Luis, which falsified Maider's report. Officer Paco was made to take a few days off so he wouldn't investigate the matter further.

Paco Lopez's car is blown up in Bank Under Siege

Despite the official statement and pressure from Isabel to work on women's issues, Maider continued to investigate the Banco Central Heist case. She met Paco, who was being monitored by undercover agents, and discovered Manglano's potential involvement in the siege.

Maider and Paco teamed up to find out about the document in question. Meanwhile, Mangalano visited Martinez in lock-up and told him to take the fall for everything for the sake of his family. He also met Maider in her apartment, warning her to stop her investigation. Having risen through the ranks, Manglano became the director of CESID and head of the king’s security.

However, Maider and Paco continued their investigation. After manhandling Vilagran, they found out that the document in the 156th deposit box contained the names of the members of the provisional government after the coup of February 23, 1981. Soon after obtaining this sensational information, Paco's car was blown up in flames, preventing them from digging any deeper.

Bank Under Siege concluded with photographs of the events that happened during and after the heist. It is stated that Martinez received a 38-year sentence but was released temporarily after 8 years and subsequently escaped. He went straight to the bank and retrieved the bundles of cash that he had hidden behind a drawer.

Bank Under Siege is currently streaming on Netflix.