The Former King Warns 'Democracy Did Not Fall from the Sky' and Misses 'the Spirit of the Transition'

The former King has sought to assert his role in bringing democracy to Spain on the eve of the 50th anniversary of his ascension to the throne, now occupied by his son Felipe VI since June 2014. Juan Carlos I granted an interview to the French newspaper Le Figaro, emphasizing—while highlighting his role in thwarting the attempted coup on February 23, 1981—that democracy 'did not fall from the sky'. He laments that the current political climate lacks the 'spirit of the Transition', clearly referring to the significant challenges parties face in reaching consensus.

This is his first interview since he went into exile in August 2020 and settled in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, conducted as a prelude to the publication of his memoirs in France on November 5. He explained that he had doubts about writing the book, for which he received assistance from French writer Laurece Debray. The book, titled 'Reconciliation', will be published by Stock, as reported by Europa Press. 'But I saw that gradually the children and grandchildren of my friends had no idea about Franco or the democratic Transition that followed,' laments the former monarch who reigned for nearly four decades.

However, 'the 1970s are not that far away,' the former Spanish monarch emphasized, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Franco's death on November 20 and the 50th anniversary of his ascension to the throne on November 22. 'I thought it was necessary to provide a direct testimony of what I experienced during 39 years of service to the country,' he added.

Nonetheless, he is clear that his book, which will be published in Spain in a few weeks by Planeta, is going to cause a stir. 'I am going to be attacked, I will need to buy a shield,' joked the former King, who hopes his memoirs will help exorcise 'our demons, which are returning.'

In the pages of the book, which according to Le Figaro, the current monarch tried to dissuade his father from publishing, Don Juan Carlos reviews his life, starting with his arrival in Spain, his relationship with Franco, the Transition, the 23-F coup, and other episodes of his life.

Regarding Franco, he emphasized that it was he who made him King 'to create a more open regime'. 'For two years I had all the powers. The power to pardon or to endorse the death penalty. I did not have to do it, thank God, because if I had said no then, the generals would have overthrown me,' he pointed out in the interview.

And regarding the 1981 coup, he does not hesitate to acknowledge that he was hurt by Alfonso Armada's involvement. 'There was not one coup, but three. The coup by (Antonio) Tejero, Armada's, and that of the deputies close to Francoism. Alfonso Armada was by my side for 17 years. I loved him very much and he betrayed me. He convinced the generals that he was speaking on my behalf,' he denounced.

The former King, who reigned for nearly four decades, explains that his father, Don Juan, taught him that he should 'talk and listen to those' who disagreed with him and argues that his character allowed him 'to see people in a human way, not just from a political perspective'. 'It was useful for my country to always be a channel of communication and exchange,' he highlighted.

In this regard, in the interview, he discusses how the legalization of the PCE was orchestrated and his relationship with Santiago Carrillo. According to his account, he used the then-president of Romania, Nicolae Ceaușescu, as a channel to contact the communist leader, who told him that Carrillo vacationed in his country. The message was 'do not unleash a civil war after Franco's death, give me time to legalize you', which happened in April 1977.

'It was a time when the left, and especially the Communist Party, respected the state's institutions,' Don Juan Carlos noted. 'I regret that a certain political spirit, which we call the 'spirit of the Transition', has been lost to the detriment of Spain and its interests,' he acknowledged.

Finally, Juan Carlos I also commented in his interview on the reason for his exile in the United Arab Emirates, explaining that he moved so far from Spain 'to help my son'. 'I sought a place where journalists from my country could not easily find me,' he added.