José María de Areilza, Count of Motrico

Who was José María de Areilza, Count of Motrico?

Don José María de Areilza y Martínez-Rodas, 3rd Count of Rodas, jure uxoris Count of Motrico 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 first Partido Popular, 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.