CNI Spanish Secret Service. A King business? Part 2

In this second part we shall go through the main mailstones of King Juan Carlos de Borbón´s political history and we shall see that he is far from being the friendly and affable good-humored person that all the brown-nosers courtiers that butter the King up want to make us believe he is.

Juan Carlos de Borbón is no newcomer to the politics arena.

He was born in Rome in 1938 in the exile, a year before the end of Spain´s disastrous Civil War. His grandfather Alfonso XIII left Spain in 1931 shortly before the proclamation of the 2nd Spanish Republic (disastrous as well) and in his childhood years in Rome although his family was not poor, he did not enjoy the luxury and the glamour that he later achieved and that he is so fond of.

Francisco Franco´s intention was to perpetuate his Regime ("El Movimiento Nacional" "The National Movement) under the figure of a authoritarian monarchy and he chose Juan Carlos instead of his father who was the direct successor of dethroned King Alfonso XIII. In 1969 Juan Carlos was appointed Franco´s Successor and he acknowledge the political legitimacy of the Franco Regime (first video) and swore loyalty and fidelity to the principles of the "National Movement" and to Franco, and in 1975 after Franco´s death he became King and chief of state (second video)

In 1969 immediately after being proclaimed Franco´s successor he wrote a letter to his Father Don Juan saying that he had to accept this decision for the sake of Spain.

Of course nobody in their right mind can believe such story knowing the firm determination that Juan Carlos father had to become King.

In his inauguration speech right after Franco´s death Juan Carlos de Borbón praised the figure of Francisco Franco:

"An exceptional figure comes in history. The name of Francisco Franco is now a landmark of Spanish History and a milestone event that will be impossible to stop referring to understand the key to our contemporary political life. With respect and gratitude I recall the figure who for many years assumed the heavy responsibility of leading the government of the State. His memory will be for me a demand for performance and loyalty to the duties I assume for the service of this country. It is of great and noble peoples to remember those who dedicated their lives to the service of an ideal. Spain will never forget who, as soldier and statesman, has devoted his whole life to service.

I know that the Spanish people will understand my feelings at this time. But the line of duty is above any other circumstance. My father taught me this from childhood, and has been a constant in my family, who always wanted to serve Spain with all its (family) might."

This last part is incredibly funny if we consider that out of ten "Borbones" only one can be considered an above average statesman. The Borbón family has always been noted for caring about their family businesses and their particular interests rather than caring about Spain´s fate. King Juan Carlos great-grandfather Ferdinand VII was probably the worst of kings spain has suffered in the last 500 years. He betrayed his father, another useless lazy fellow, Charles IV, and allowed Napoleon to ravish Spain for years while he was living safe in France. After Napoleon was defeated he again betrayed Spain for he did not like the liberal ideas flourishing in our country after the Constitution of 1812 was proclaimed and he brought an army sponsored by absolute monarchs (popularly known as the 100.000 sons of Saint Louis) to reinforce the king´s authority. Ferdinand betrayed his father, brought two wars and betrayed the confidence of thousands of people who shed their blood for the cause of his throne. What a life dedicated to serve Spain!!

Elizabeth II was a scatty lady who was fond of appointing her lovers as ministers or relevant politics. Alfonso XIII (Juan Carlos´grandfather) was responsible of the biggest massacre during the Moroccan war when in a place called "Annual" (El desastre de Annual) thousands of Spanish soldiers were killed after being ambushed by the enemy. Alfonso XIII was fond of playing as a brilliant general being no more than a "lounge" general and he interfered in the strategic guidelines of the high command which ended in the coup d´etat led by General Primo de Rivera who put an end to the war with a victory in Alhucemas and an end in Alfonso´s hobby of playing strategist games that costed Spain so much blood and pain. Of course he did not set a foot in Spain during the Civil War which he followed from Rome on the radio...We could go on and on reviewing this eagerness the Borbones have had to serve...

Going back to the recent past we can say that in less than ten years Juan Carlos de Borbón betrayed his father Don Juan by accepting something his father wanted for himself with the ridiculous excuse of doing it to serve Spain (always serving!)(1969), swore loyalty to Franco and his regime (1969), again swore loyalty to Franco in 1975 and then betrayed his own oaths in 1978 when he became the King of a regime completely different of that he swore to be loyal to 3 years before.

Would you buy this man a second hand car?

Being Head of State for 35 years, enjoying complete and official criminal immunity by law, having an undisguised taste for wealth and luxury, showing a proven capacity to let´s say "change his mind" when he finds it convenient, being a reputed flirt, and having such a tendency for intrigue make King Juan Carlos a coveted target for all secret services in the world and very specially to those of enemy countries like Morocco (let us call things by their real names).

Spanish secret services cannot lack behind and must be also in the loop of what goes on around the Spanish royals in order to try to be a step ahead of their colleagues and also to try to neutralize their (other service´s) strategies, not forgetting that regardless of the monarchy´s fate there will always be secret services with one name or another, and a well structured and documented information in the right hands becomes a precious piece of intelligence when needed.

In Spain criticizing the King can result in up to 2 years of inprisonment and some times people are afraid that the most innocent of critics can be interpreted as an insult by the thousands of suckers that populate Spain´s ruling class.

It is also a very interesting fact the appreciation of the king for those who have never supported him and his contempt for those who he assumes as loyals as we shall see later on in this series of posts.

Soon part 3!

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