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50 YEARS OF FREEDOM IN SPAIN

Albares pays tribute to diplomats that were loyal to democracy in the face of Francoism

​A plaque commemorates the 45 diplomats who remained loyal to democracy throughout the civil war and Franco's dictatorship

June 9, 2025

​The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, has paid tribute to all the foreign service that remained loyal to democracy during the civil war and Franco's dictatorship, in an emotional ceremony in which a plaque with their names was unveiled.

 ‘They wanted to erase their names from the history of Spain and our diplomacy, but today we engrave them in stone, in a place of honour, so that every day, every time we walk through this door, we remember the profound dignity and nobility of the commitment we have made and the values we defend,’ said the minister in his speech.​

Open list

The ceremony, held at the Marqués de Salamanca headquarters, was also attended by the academic and historian Ángel Viñas, who explained the research that led him to compile and document this list of diplomats. The plaque has a space left blank so that more names can be added if further research reveals new cases.​

Relatives

On behalf of the relatives, Ainhoa Euri Careaga dedicated some emotional words to her grandfather, Fernando Careaga. The Ambassador at Large for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, Miriam Álvarez de la Rosa, read the words dedicated by the current Spanish ambassador to Guatemala, Clara Girbau, to her father Vicente Girbau. 


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