ETA, an acronym for Basque Homeland and Freedom in the Basque language, once enjoyed a greater degree of sympathy, especially in the days of dictator GeneralFranciscoFranco, who brutally repressed Basque culture.
Not only did the victory of the fascist dictator, GeneralFranciscoFranco, result in the brutal repression of those who fought against him on the Republican side but it also resulted in Madrid again ordering the abolition of Catalonia's autonomous institutions.