Mugalari

Mugalari is a Basque word used to designate people who help others cross the border between France and Spain, mainly for political reasons. The term is a combination of the words "muga" (border) and "-lari" (suffix related to people), and it refers to people living in the border, and by extension also to smugglers. The peak of activity of the mugalaris occurred during the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War, when they helped allied aviators shot down by the Germans in France. Once they had crossed the border, they went to Donostia, from where they would be taken by the British consulate to Gibraltar, and then sent to London. They were also active during Franco's dictatorship, and more recently, as part of the Basque Conflict, they had been helping ETA members to cross the border. S...