Eduardo López Ochoa

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Eduardo López Ochoa y Portuondo (1877-1936) was a Spanish general, Africanist, and prominent freemason. He was known for most of his life as a traditional Republican, and conspired against the government of Miguel Primo de Rivera. At the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, Ochoa was designated capitán general of Catalonia by Francesc Macià. He led troops to crush the insurrection in Asturias in October of 1934, after which the leader of the nascent Popular Front was jailed. The left felt betrayed, and began to regard Ochoa as a rightist. His enemies nicknamed him "el verdugo de Asturias" ("the executioner of Asturias"). At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Ochoa was in a military hospital in Carabanchel. He was swiftly captured by Republicans and executed.