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Home | Office Holder | Carlos Arias-Navarro, 1st Marquis of Arias Navarro
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Arias-Navarro served in the Ministry of Justice since 1929 as attorney in Málaga and Madrid. Arias was close to the right-wing sectors and joined the Francoist side during the Spanish Civil War. He was public prosecutor in the trials set up by the triumphant rightists against true or perceived sympathizers of the Republican side, who were accused of being pro-communists. The repression in Málaga was among the most vicious, with some 20,000 people assassinated by Franco's Nationalists, with or without "legal" sanction. He married María de la Luz del Valle y Menéndez, without issue. After serving in various positions, including Mayor of Madrid from 1965 to June 1973, Arias-Navarro became Minister of Governance in June 1973. After the assassination of the Prime Minister (Presidente del Gobierno) Luis Carrero Blanco he was appointed to that office as the 71st on December 31, 1973, a position he continued to hold after the death of Franco. Carlos Arias Navarro had the support of the Franco family, most notably Carmen Polo, and retained the post during the transition to democracy. However, the execution of the Catalan anarchist Salvador Puig Antich in March 1974 had already shown his aversion towards political liberalization, while others events, including the executions in September 1974, the organization of the Green March in November 1975 by King Hassan II of Morocco, and the illness and death of Franco (which Arias Navarro announced on television), displayed his weaknesses and further eroded his authority. Franco's successor as head of state, King Juan Carlos I, continued his appointment, so that it was his government (which included Manuel Fraga Iribarne and José María de Areilza) that instituted the firsts reforms, however unwillingly. Seeing himself as Franco's political heir, he tried to continue the late dictator's policies, opposing any change. After a lengthy power struggle, this led to his firing by Juan Carlos I, with Arias-Navarro resigning on 1 July 1976. The next day, he was granted the hereditary title of marqués de Arias Navarro (English: Marquis of Arias Navarro), together with the dignity Grande de España (English: Grandee of Spain). Since he had no heirs his title became extinct after he died. Arias-Navarro was succeeded by Adolfo Suárez, named general secretary of the Francoist official party Movimiento Nacional in December 1975. In June 1977, during the first free general elections held since 1936, Arias Navarro integrated the Alianza Popular, a Right-wing party created by Manuel Fraga. He then led the Búnker group of hard-liners opposed to any reforms, along with the leader of the Francoist party Fuerza Nueva, Blas Piñar. Arias Navarro, however, never again occupied a relevant position in the later Spanish government. Both left and extreme right attacked him, calling him by the nickname "The Old Pusillanimous". |
