In 1940, the Francoist regime enacted a law for the repression of freemasonry and communism in Madrid and throughout Spain, formalizing the persecution of political opponents. The law established special tribunals and military courts to prosecute individuals accused of being members of these organizations, leading to mass arrests, executions, and imprisonment. The law was part of Franco's broader campaign to eliminate all opposition and establish a totalitarian state based on Catholic nationalism.

The repression law further silenced Republican poets, many of whom were associated with left-wing or Masonic organizations. The law also led to the suppression of books, poems, and journals associated with the Republic, creating a cultural void that would take decades to fill. The poetry of the post-war years was written in a climate of fear, with poets forced to encode their political messages in allegory and metaphor.