Blas Piñar
Encyclopedia
Blas Piñar is a Spanish politician. He has had connections with Catholic organizations; directed the Institute of Spanish Culture (Instituto de Cultura Hispánica) and served as deputy (procurador) in the Cortes
and a councillor of the Movimiento Nacional
.
In the 1960s, Blas Piñar was in charge of the Institute of Spanish Culture that was dedicated to managing scholarships between Latin American and Spanish universities. After a trip to Latin America and the Philippines, Piñar wrote an article for the Madrid
newspaper Diario ABC
. The article, entitled "Hypocrites," harshly criticized the foreign policy of the United States
. At that time, the Francisco Franco
regime depended on bilateral relations with the United States to maintain international recognition for the dictatorship. Franco's minister of Foreign Affairs, after giving many explanations to the US ambassador, dismissed Piñar. Despite the dismissal, Piñar's loyalty to the Franco regime did not diminish.
He was an opponent of the breakup of the regime. He voted and argued against the Law for Political Reform. He saw the law not as an attempt at reform, but an attempt at disintegration. Piñar also opposed the Spanish Constitution of 1978
and voted against it in its entirety.
After the death of Franco, he created Fuerza Nueva
(New Force), a far right organization, and in 1979 was elected
a deputy for the Unión Nacional
coalition representing Madrid
. After the loss of his seat in the 1982 elections
he dissolved Fuerza Nueva (not the publishing house of the same name which continued publishing). In 1986, with the aid of Jean-Marie Le Pen
, he reconstructed the group as the National Front (Frente Nacional
) and stood without success for the European parliamentary elections of 1987 and 1989. In 1992 he became president of the Frente Nacional Español (Spanish National Front), the product of the union between his group and the Juntas Españolas
.
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
and a councillor of the Movimiento Nacional
Movimiento Nacional
The Movimiento Nacional was the name given to the nationalist inspired mechanism during Francoist rule in Spain, which purported to be the only channel of participation to Spanish public life...
.
In the 1960s, Blas Piñar was in charge of the Institute of Spanish Culture that was dedicated to managing scholarships between Latin American and Spanish universities. After a trip to Latin America and the Philippines, Piñar wrote an article for the Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
newspaper Diario ABC
Diario ABC
ABC is a Spanish national daily newspaper founded in Madrid on January 1, 1903, by Torcuato Luca de Tena y Alvarez-Ossorio. ABC started as a weekly newspaper until it turned daily in June 1905. Today, ABC is the third largest general-interest newspaper in Spain, and the oldest newspaper still...
. The article, entitled "Hypocrites," harshly criticized the foreign policy of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. At that time, the 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...
regime depended on bilateral relations with the United States to maintain international recognition for the dictatorship. Franco's minister of Foreign Affairs, after giving many explanations to the US ambassador, dismissed Piñar. Despite the dismissal, Piñar's loyalty to the Franco regime did not diminish.
He was an opponent of the breakup of the regime. He voted and argued against the Law for Political Reform. He saw the law not as an attempt at reform, but an attempt at disintegration. Piñar also opposed the Spanish Constitution of 1978
Spanish Constitution of 1978
-Structure of the State:The Constitution recognizes the existence of nationalities and regions . Preliminary Title As a result, Spain is now composed entirely of 17 Autonomous Communities and two autonomous cities with varying degrees of autonomy, to the extent that, even though the Constitution...
and voted against it in its entirety.
After the death of Franco, he created Fuerza Nueva
Fuerza Nueva
New Force was the name of a succession of far-right political parties in Spain founded by Blas Piñar, the son of one of the defenders of the Alcázar of Toledo and director of the Institute of Hispanic Culture during the Francoist period...
(New Force), a far right organization, and in 1979 was elected
Spanish general election, 1979
General elections were held in Spain on 1 March 1979.-References:* *...
a deputy for the Unión Nacional
National Union (Spain)
The National Union was a right-wing electoral coalition which contested the 1979 election. It linked Blas Piñar's Fuerza Nueva francoist party with the Carlists....
coalition representing Madrid
Madrid (Spanish Congress Electoral District)
Madrid is one of the 52 electoral districts used for the Spanish Congress of Deputies - the lower chamber of the Spanish Parliament, the Cortes Generales. It has the largest electorate of all the 52 districts. Madrid is the largest city...
. After the loss of his seat in the 1982 elections
Spanish general election, 1982
General elections were held in Spain on 28 October 1982.PSOE and PSC presented two different lists of candidates: with the PSOE contesting most of Spain and the PSC only standing in Catalonia...
he dissolved Fuerza Nueva (not the publishing house of the same name which continued publishing). In 1986, with the aid of Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than...
, he reconstructed the group as the National Front (Frente Nacional
Frente Nacional (Spain)
There have been two political parties which have gone by the name National Front . They are:* The Frente Nacional founded by Blas Piñar, which existed between 1983 and 1995: National Front...
) and stood without success for the European parliamentary elections of 1987 and 1989. In 1992 he became president of the Frente Nacional Español (Spanish National Front), the product of the union between his group and the Juntas Españolas
Juntas Españolas
The Juntas Españolas was an extreme right political party in Spain created in 1983 after a call was issued through the defunct newspaper El Alcázar by the newspaper's director, Antonio Izquierdo. The group also followed the failure and self-dissolution of the Fuerza Nueva of Blas Piñar.The group...
.