Second Spanish Republic work together under the name Popular Front. The Popular Front won the election on 16 February with 263 MPs against 156 right-wing MPs, grouped within a coalition of the "National Front" with CEDA, Carlists, and Monarchists. The moderate centre parties virtually disappeared; between the elections, Lerroux's group fell from the 104 representatives it had in 1934 to just 9. In the following months, there was increasing violence between left and right. This helped the development of the fascist-inspired Falange Española, a National party led by José Antonio Primo de Rivera, the son of the former dictator, Miguel Primo de Rivera.
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