Fernando Castillo is PSE-EE Council Member in the City of Durango. On February 28th, 2000, while at work, somebody set his car on fire. On June 4 of that year, ETA killed the Popular Party spokesman in the city of Durango, Jesus Maria Pedrosa. On December, 2001, some people attacked the PSE-EE "people's house" in Durango again. This was the third attack in two years; the last attack was in 2009.

On May 12, 1980, ETA murdered the businessman Ramón Baglietto in Alto de Azkarate. In 1962, Baglietto saved a person from being run over by a vehicle. Eighteen years later, that person, the terrorist Cándido Azpiazu, killed him by shooting him in the head. In 2004, Azpiazu and Zuazo were released after spending 12 years in prison. The town of Azkoitia paid tribute to them and named then citizens of honour. In 2006 Kandido Azpiazu opened a glassware shop on the ground floor of the block of flats where the widow, Pilar Elías, lives.

Work on the Basque section of the railway line began in the year 2006. ETA directly threatened HSR companies on several occasions. On December 3, 2008, the terrorist group murdered a businessman, Ignacio Uria, 71, in Azpeitia. After this death, the business leaders in the sector held a meeting and decided to contract protection for certain managers, including the person interviewed here.