Fernando de Santiago y Díaz
Encyclopedia
Fernando de Santiago y Díaz de Mendívil (July 23, 1910 – November 6, 1994) was a conservative deputy and interim prime minister of Spain
during the Spanish transition to democracy
in the late 1970s. He had earlier been a general
in the Spanish Civil War
and under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco
.
As an active soldier, Santiago participated in the Second Moroccan War
in the 1920s and threw in with the Spanish Nationalists in the 1936 Civil War, rising to the rank of lieutenant general
. During the Franco regime, he served as a professor and later director of the Escuela Politécnica Superior del Ejército (Superior Polytechnic Army College).
In the waning years of Franco's rule, from March 4, 1971 to April 24, 1974, the dictator gave Santiago a task as political as it was military: serve as governor-general of Spanish Sahara
after Spanish forces had massacred members of a native independence movement in the "Zemla Intifada
". Santiago presided over the introduction of limited home-rule in the region, which was eventually decolonized a few years later.
Following the dictator's death, November 20, 1975, Santiago was named Vicepresidente del Gobierno para la Defensa (deputy prime minister for defense) of Spain's first post-Franco government, under Prime Minister Carlos Arias Navarro
. Following Arias' resignation, Santiago briefly served as interim prime minister, July 1-July 3, 1976.
Under the administration of Adolfo Suárez
, Santiago remained the principal deputy prime minister but gave up
oversight of the defense ministry. While Arias Navarro had been considered a Francoist, Suárez would turn out to be a reformer, putting Spain on the road to democracy. Santiago would become a harsh critic of Suárez' government. He submitted a resignation letter shortly after Suárez announced he would support the Ley para la Reforma Political (Political Reform Law) and its call for open elections; his resignation was accepted September 21, 1976.
Out of office, Santiago continued to meet with conservative military officials disturbed by Spain's democratization and liberalization. In September 1977, he met with a group of army leaders—including Jaime Milans del Bosch
-- who secretly wrote a letter to King Juan Carlos I
asking him to undertake "actions to rescue the destiny of the Fatherland". Bosch would later be implicated in the "23-F
" coup attempt, February 23, 1981.
He married at San Fermín de los Navarros in Madrid on 6 January 1934 María Ignacia Morales de Los Ríos y Palacio, daughter of Santiago Morales de Los Ríos y Chávarri (b. Madrid, Salvador y San Nicolás, 1 May 1886 - ?) and wife (m. Madrid, Santa Teresa, 12 December 1910) Ana María de Palacio y Velasco (29 April 1890 - ?), daughter of the 6th Marquess of Casa Palacio and wife the 1st Marchioness of Villarreal de Álava and grandaunt of Loyola de Palacio
and Ana de Palacio, and had issue:
Prime Minister of Spain
The President of the Government of Spain , sometimes known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the head of Government of Spain. The current office is established under the Constitution of 1978...
during the Spanish transition to democracy
Spanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
in the late 1970s. He had earlier been a general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
.
As an active soldier, Santiago participated in the Second Moroccan War
Rif War (1920)
The Rif War, also called the Second Moroccan War, was fought between Spain and the Moroccan Rif Berbers.-Rifian forces:...
in the 1920s and threw in with the Spanish Nationalists in the 1936 Civil War, rising to the rank of lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. During the Franco regime, he served as a professor and later director of the Escuela Politécnica Superior del Ejército (Superior Polytechnic Army College).
In the waning years of Franco's rule, from March 4, 1971 to April 24, 1974, the dictator gave Santiago a task as political as it was military: serve as governor-general of Spanish Sahara
Spanish Sahara
Spanish Sahara was the name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was ruled as a territory by Spain between 1884 and 1975...
after Spanish forces had massacred members of a native independence movement in the "Zemla Intifada
Zemla Intifada
The Zemla Intifada is the name used by the Algerian-backed Polisario movement to refer to disturbances of June 17, 1970, which culminated in a massacre by Spanish forces in the Zemla district of El-Aaiun, Western Sahara .Leaders of the hitherto secret organization Harakat Tahrir, among them its...
". Santiago presided over the introduction of limited home-rule in the region, which was eventually decolonized a few years later.
Following the dictator's death, November 20, 1975, Santiago was named Vicepresidente del Gobierno para la Defensa (deputy prime minister for defense) of Spain's first post-Franco government, under Prime Minister Carlos Arias Navarro
Carlos Arias Navarro
Don Carlos Arias-Navarro, 1st Marquis of Arias-Navarro, Grandee of Spain, born Carlos Arias y Navarro was one of the best known Spanish politicians during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco....
. Following Arias' resignation, Santiago briefly served as interim prime minister, July 1-July 3, 1976.
Under the administration of Adolfo Suárez
Adolfo Suárez
Adolfo Suárez y González, 1st Duke of Suárez, Grandee of Spain, KOGF is a Spanish lawyer and politician. Suárez was Spain's first democratically elected prime minister after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and the key figure in the country's transition to democracy.-Parents:He is a son of...
, Santiago remained the principal deputy prime minister but gave up
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
oversight of the defense ministry. While Arias Navarro had been considered a Francoist, Suárez would turn out to be a reformer, putting Spain on the road to democracy. Santiago would become a harsh critic of Suárez' government. He submitted a resignation letter shortly after Suárez announced he would support the Ley para la Reforma Political (Political Reform Law) and its call for open elections; his resignation was accepted September 21, 1976.
Out of office, Santiago continued to meet with conservative military officials disturbed by Spain's democratization and liberalization. In September 1977, he met with a group of army leaders—including Jaime Milans del Bosch
Jaime Milans del Bosch
Jaime Milans del Bosch y Ussía was a Lieutenant General in the Spanish Army who was dismissed in 1981 for his role in the failed coup d'état of 23 February 1981 .-Biography:...
-- who secretly wrote a letter to King Juan Carlos I
Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
asking him to undertake "actions to rescue the destiny of the Fatherland". Bosch would later be implicated in the "23-F
23-F
23-F was an attempted coup d'état in Spain that began on 23 February 1981 and ended on the following day. It is also known as El Tejerazo from the name of its most visible figure, Antonio Tejero, who led the failed coup's most notable event: the bursting into the Spanish Congress of Deputies by a...
" coup attempt, February 23, 1981.
He married at San Fermín de los Navarros in Madrid on 6 January 1934 María Ignacia Morales de Los Ríos y Palacio, daughter of Santiago Morales de Los Ríos y Chávarri (b. Madrid, Salvador y San Nicolás, 1 May 1886 - ?) and wife (m. Madrid, Santa Teresa, 12 December 1910) Ana María de Palacio y Velasco (29 April 1890 - ?), daughter of the 6th Marquess of Casa Palacio and wife the 1st Marchioness of Villarreal de Álava and grandaunt of Loyola de Palacio
Loyola de Palacio
Loyola de Palacio y del Valle-Lersundi was a Spanish politician. She was one of the first women to rise to political prominence in Spain during the early years of democracy. She was a minister in the Spanish government from 1996 to 1998, and a member of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004...
and Ana de Palacio, and had issue:
- Ana María de Santiago y Morales de Los Ríos
- María Ignacia de Santiago y Morales de Los Ríos
- María Fernanda de Santiago y Morales de Los Ríos
- María del Dulce Nombre de Santiago y Morales de Los Ríos
- Fernando de Santiago y Morales de Los Ríos