Rob HorganFORMER King Juan Carlos reportedly supported an Argentine dictatorship responsible for killing thousands of people.
Documents leaked on Tuesday reveal the Spanish government and royal house accepted gifts and medals from General Rafael Videla in exchange for support and access to international forums during the 70s and 80s.
The documents state that the ex-King ‘was in charge of facilitating deals between transition-era Spain and the Argentine government’.
According to the confidential reports, the former monarch said to Videla that he admired the Argentine’s ‘success in dealing with their economic problems’.
As part of the arrangement Videla also received the Grand Cross of the Order of Military Merit and the Collar of the Order of Isabella from the Spanish monarchy.
Another 23 Argentine soldiers were also reportedly awarded medals, including Vice Admiral of the Navy, Antonio Vanek, who also acted as head of a concentration camp.
Also decorated were Brigadier Basilio Lami of the Air Force and General Jose Rogelio Villarreal.
The relationship went both ways, with Spanish military decorated by the Videla regime.
Captain Fernando Salas, Brigadier General Manuel Vallespin, and the chief of police in Madrid, Federico Quintero all received honours from the Argentine dictatorship.
The documents also show former King Juan Carlos’ support for the Minister of Economy José Alfredo Martínez de Hoz – the man responsible for de-industrialisation of the free market that destroyed the Argentine economy.
Surprised??
not at all
Spain is still having problems with its fascist past.
BritBob: And present. re.Melilla.
They were all at it back then, what about Thatcher and Pinochet
“http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/304516.stm”
El Gr…. what has how come Thatcher into the picture. She was not a facist as lot of the Spannish was.
KB: No, she was just best mates with them…
Why not substitute “Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher supported Chilean dictator who murdered thousands of people” for the first paragraph ? How is this relevent, many countries get into bed with undesirable despots for political gain, certainly not only Spain
Spain just do it a lot more than average
Stefanjo i just think you are a kommunist writing a lot of rubbish and shooting in all direktions.
Nobody with his mind clear can say that Thatcher was a fasist.
Why not focus on politicians and bankers,et al who are alledgedly robbing zillions of Public money today and are NOT being apprehended in quick time by the Spanish “Court System” ?!!Some DIE (Gil)of old age before Justice happens -Pujol after 30 YEARS?!!
Agree.?
The ex-King was asked on a TV programme about the payment of Spanish taxes, on his overseas inheritance on the death of his father. “Oh, I´m sure Spanish tax will have been paid. Unfortunately,though, I´ve lost the papers”, he said. The Spanish tax office told the TV company that they wouldn´t keep the records from that long ago, though it´s really not that long. Surprising, really, when it´s to do with a king.
My opinion of the ex-King changed drastically, when the press published the photo of him standing in front of a dead elephant, with a gun in his hand. The fact that he apparently went on safari without informing the government that he was going and that the press said/implied he was there with a girl-friend, is insignificant alongside that dead elephant.