Alfonso Armada

Alfonso Armada y Comyn (Madrid, February 12, 1920-Madrid, December 1, 2013), X Marqués de Santa Cruz de Rivadulla, was a Spanish military who reached notoriety for his participation in the coup attempt of February 23, 1981.

first years

was born within a family of military, aristocratic tradition and with deep religious convictions both by paternal and maternal via. He was the son of Luis Gonzaga armed of the Rivers-Enríquez, General of Division, and María del Rosario Comyn and Allendesalazar, daughter of Antonio Luis Comyn and Crooke, lawyer and gentleman of the Chamber of King Alfonso XIII. Her godmother of baptism was the regent Queen María Cristina de Habsburg-Lorena, mother of Alfonso XIII. Her father was in the Royal Palace on April 14, 1931 the day in which the Second Republic was proclaimed. He spent his childhood in Madrid and studied baccalaureate for free that ended in 1935.

Military career

At sixteen years of age, he enlisted in the army, on the rebel side. During the Civil War it was destined for the fronts of Madrid, Andalusia, Guadalajara, Teruel and Valencia. He also participated with the Blue Division on the Leningrad site.

In 1945, as commander, he was an instructor in several military schools. He gave military classes to the then Prince Juan Carlos, becoming one of his best friends and counselors, and became a member of the central General Staff.

His concept of Catholic religiosity, of a deeply conservative cut, took him in the sixties to preside over the pro decency crusade.

He had a narrow and long relationship with King Juan Carlos, first since 1954 as his military and preceptor instructor, then, since 1965 as head of the Prince's Secretariat and his personal assistant, and since November 1975 as Secretary General of The King's house, until after the elections of June 1977. He later continued to see the king to the eve of the 23-F coup. The king was fully trusted in the army, unlike the president of the Government, Adolfo Suárez, who was suspicious, which was a reason for discussions between them. The reason for his relief was the fact that he sent letters with the seal of the Royal House asking for the vote for Popular Alliance in the 1977 elections. At his proposal his friend and protected Sabino Fernández Campo. Of the Secretariat of the Monarch He became the main professor of the Superior School of the Army and, shortly before the coup d'etat of February 23, 1981, at the time on the 12th of the same month and year, Armada assumed the position of Second Chief of the General Staff of the Army.

coup d'etat

This trajectory continued on 23-F, being one of the main participants of the coup d'etat.

The journalist Francisco Medina ( 23-F La Truth , 2006) collects a testimony according to which Armada would have believed that at Franco's death, given his relationship with the king, he could be president of the Government ("It could be a new White Carrero of the King, with absolute powers" and since 1975 "he began to feel in some way as a head of government").

Once that option was lost, he saw another opportunity at a time when all political, social and factual sectors criticized President Adolfo Suárez, who despite being very discredited did not show signs of abandoning power. By the beginning of 1981, Armada had coordinated and agreed with the main political parties and other factual powers (church, employer, army) a motion of censure to cease Suárez, and preside over a government "of national unity" with members of several Parliamentary parties of which Felipe González and Manuel Fraga would be part as vice presidents. This was stated by Senator Juan de Aspacochaga (' Letters to some captains ', 1994), the urban Pilar journalist, and other chroniclers. But the sudden resignation of Suárez upon learning of the plan, frustrated his project, but not his desire to preside over the government, so he improvised the coup of 23-F to reach power by the "Gaulle route."

It was discovered that it was involved when the Chief of the General Staff, General Gabeiras, was offered to go to Congress to propose an exit to Tejero: his offer to preside over a civic-military government with the presence of political leaders.

The coup began to fail when Tejero used violence and fired the weapons in the initial moments (Navy knew, and thus had insisted Tejero, which to succeed should be a "peaceful" shot without shots and without violence). But thanks to the gallant attitude of the Vice President of the Government, Lieutenant General Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado in front of Tejero, is opted for violence and weapons to impose himself. Subsequently, when Armada went to Congress and introduced his government plan to Tejero, he refused to have politicians as ministers and did not let Armada enter his program before the Chamber, the coup took another step towards failure.

Condemn

On April 22, 1983, the Supreme Court imposed a 30 -year prison sentence and loss of employment, fulfilling its penalty in the prison of Alcalá Meco. On December 24, 1988, the socialist government of Felipe González pardoned him alleging health reasons and that the prisoner complied with the Spanish Constitution. From his departure from prison he lived in his Pazo, in Santa Cruz de Ribadulla (Vedra), in La Coruña. He died on December 1, 2013 at age 93. Kings Juan Carlos and Sofia sent the condolences in a personal capacity through a telegram.

actors who have interpreted your person

on the two-chapter telephilme that TVE made about the failed coup d'etat of 1981, 23-F: The most difficult day of the king , armed was performed by Juan Luis Galiardo. It was also interpreted, in 2011, and for the film 23-F: the film by Juan Diego, being this candidate for this role to the Goya awards in its XXVI edition.