José María de Areilza, Count of Motrico, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetJosé María de Areilza, Count of Motrico
Spanish diplomat and politician
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Portugalete, Basque Country, Spain
About José María de Areilza, Count of Motrico
- Don José María de Areilza y Martínez-Rodas, 3rd Count of Rodas, jure uxoris Count of Motrico (3 August 1909, Portugalete, Vizcaya – 22 February 1998, Madrid) was a Spanish politician, engineer and diplomat. During the Spanish civil war he became Mayor of the city of Bilbao in 1938.
- Between 1947 and 1964 he served as Spanish Ambassador to Buenos Aires, Washington DC and Paris.
- In 1964 he resigned from his office and was asked by the King in exile to lead the monarchist opposition to general Franco, as Secretary General of his Private Council.
- Between 1975 and 1976 he was the first Foreign Affairs Minister of the new King Juan Carlos I.
- In 1976, along with Pío Cabanillas he founded the short-lived People's Party, which later became part of the UCD, although he left after disagreements with Adolfo Suárez.
- In 1979 he was elected to the Congress of Deputies for Madrid district for the Coalición Democrática.
- In 1981 he became President of the Assembly of the Council of Europe and in 1997 he was elected member of the Spanish Royal Academy.
- He wrote over 3000 newspaper articles and 12 books.
- His wife died in 1991.
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