Symbols of Francoism right and extreme left, often degenerating into violence. On the right, the traditionalist Carlist movement revived. In 1933, the aristocratic José Antonio Primo de Rivera, son of the former dictator, founded the far-right Falange movement, similar to the Italian Fascists. In February 1934 the Falange merged with the "Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional-Sindicalista" (J.O.N.S), another right-wing group. Left-wing trade unions staged industry-wide or citywide strikes, and in Catalonia Marxist and Anarchist groups competed for power. Landless laborers seized land, occupied estates and burned churches. At a time of political crisis, on 17 July 1936, General Francisco Franco led the Spanish colonial
Fernando Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja and its machine gun squadron (461 men: 22 officers and 439 troops) behind Izumar. The Regiment’s commander, colonel Francisco Manella Corrales, had moved to Annual three days earlier to relieve colonel Arguelles. The following day, Primo de Rivera, following orders received and leading his 2º squadron, two sections of the 4º and one of the 1º regiment of Alcántara, with a total of 192 riders, provided cover to the Spanish forces’ retreat from Chaif towards Dar Drius and subsequently towards Batel. During the retreat, his regiment repeatedly charges against the Riffian fighters, sustaining heavy losses. The charges during the crossing