Home visits with cheers
Spain’s controversial former king happy – Prime Minister Sánchez demands “explanations”
Sanxenxo.Spain’s controversial former king Juan Carlos was greeted with cheers, kisses, applause and welcome posters on his first visit to his home country in almost two years. “Viva el Rey!” (Long live the king) shouted the people of Sanxenxo again and again on Sunday as the 84-year-old drove to the sailing club of the port community in the northwestern part of the country. “Very well, very well, you can see it,” said King Felipe VI’s father, who lives in exile in Abu Dhabi. Saturday from the passenger seat of his host Pedro Campos’ car when asked by reporters how the visit had gone so far. “He looks so happy,” Campos’ wife Cristina Franze was quoted as saying in the newspaper “El Mundo”.
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Juan Carlos originally left his home country on August 4, 2020 for an unknown destination. He later appeared in Abu Dhabi. In early March, after all criminal investigations into economic irregularities had been dropped, he announced that he wanted to remain in exile for the time being, but would soon make sporadic visits to his home country.
A meeting with son Felipe is scheduled for Monday
Before climbing back into the racing yacht “Bribón” on Sunday with his cane and the support of friends he had already sat on for six hours on Saturday to take part in the last day of the regatta in Sanxenxo, Bourbon with the red cap made for fans and photographers smiling the victory sign. On Sunday, however, it was still too early for a positive assessment of the short five-day visit. On Monday, the last day of the trip, the first, explosive reunion with son Felipe (54), wife Sofia (84) and the rest of the family was on the program in Madrid.
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The meeting has kept Spain in suspense since the old king’s arrival on Thursday. It’s no secret that the relationship is not the best because of Juan Carlos’ many affairs. Felipe tries to improve the image of the royal family, which has been primarily affected by his father, and keeps his father at a distance. The meeting in the Zarzuela Palace northwest of Madrid was not on the royal family’s official agenda. Journalist Fernando Ónega, who is always well-informed about royal issues, said the meeting would be closed to the public. “There will be at most one image.”
Prime Minister Sánchez demands “explanations”
While there was only a small protest meeting from opponents of the monarchy in Sanxenxo, there could be more expressions of displeasure in Madrid. Politicians in the left-wing governing coalition have also sharply criticized Juan Carlos. Some, like Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, are calling for “explanations”, while others go on to say that the former king’s visit belittles Spanish democracy.
In the small, very conservative upscale town of Sanxenxo – where many wealthy people like entrepreneur Campos and ex-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy own holiday homes – Juan Carlos, meanwhile, had a “home game”. There he sailed despite limited mobility, enjoyed seafood and also took part in a handball match in nearby Pontevedra on Saturday night with his grandson Pablo Urdangarin, who hugged and kissed him for a long time after the meeting while fans in the stands shouted “Viva el rey! In Sanxenxo, according to the media, Juan Carlos was visited by influential friends from Madrid.
The media interest in the visit of the man who was head of state in Spain for almost 40 years is huge. According to the television station RTVE, about 200 journalists from Germany and abroad came to Sanxenxo. There was heated debate on talk shows about whether the old king should finally apologize.
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RND / dpa
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