a biography that corrects the error

There is nothing better than a good salt to dull merit. Yes, ademási, eres a woman in a man’s world and I have seen a time that is not exactly suitable for recognizing your abilities, it is normal that it sinks into the corners of history.

This can be done if you are here Carmen Diez de Rivera (1942-1999). They remind you of little more than being the “transition muse”, Adolfo Suárez’s secretary, rumored to have had an affair, and possibly the product of an extramarital affair… Wait until someone comes along to redeem your true story.

Philologist, writer and playwright Carmen Domingo (Barcelona, ​​​​1970) came to this necessary repair shop. Solidarity was the price. The Life of Carmen Díez de Rivera (Tusquets), recognized with el Comillas Awardis the result of an extensive examination of the obstacles that nevertheless did not prevent us from recognizing the influence of the European Parliament on Spanish politics during one of the most interesting moments of our recent history: the Transition.

“I don’t mention it in virtually any book, which is quite surprising”complains Domingo in an interview with El Cultural. What are the reasons? They could listen to the “muy masculino” reason that reasserted itself in the years when Suárez was still alive and no one could properly appreciate what he was a man: to “constancia” and “convencimiento en lo que hacía” that determined a number of certain fundamental decisions of the president.

Suárez was able to “recognize the fact that these people were under his orders, because that way they stop their value”, the author suggested and agreed We owe a large part to her for the legalization of the Communist Party. No such thing, according to Domingo, can be “the best of you and we speak in a different way because we had a clear transition or we didn’t have such a transition.”

Díez de Rivera was there at that moment the head of the Gabinete de la Presidency – the first and only woman to boast this load –, one of Suárez’s close friends who opened the door to her: do not forget that the leader of the UCD is advancing with the Movement, which has remained little behind in the other political formations.

Solidarity was the price If you take care of the winding road you need to overcome the Díez de Rivera, you must complete it. At 16, she found out that her father – the Marquis of Llanzol – was her father, from an aristocratic family and a rich child until she was born extramarital affair enters the mother, Sonsoles de Icaza, and Franco’s right hand, Ramón Serrano Suñer.

They calculated it when, at 16, they started flirting with hijo gerifalte: Ramón Serrano Polo “Rolo”, middle hermano. Horrified in a way that would turn her away from everything she would follow for the rest of her life, she moved on. Primero in Suiza, where from I met former Prince Juan Carlos and Sofiawith whom he maintained a friendship until his death. On his return, he was interned in a monastery in Avila, but returned in time.

He studied at Oxford and went to Paris, where he understood it “life was so much more than what happened to the two manzanas at home”as Domingo points out in this interview. With a gesture in the city of Sena, we reflected on his character: one day he called at Sartre’s door, and from there I sent him a nice answer.

But what changed his life was a humanitarian trip to the Costa de Irfil. “When you go to Africa, you are reborn”sentence to the biographer because “we know there were people who felt bad about it, that we asked was something she didn’t want to disappoint until then”.

Full of social and political conscience, after returning to Spain she convinced herself that she was an independent woman. I’m starting to work in myth Western magazine and maintains a relationship with Emilio Alonso Manglano, postre jefe Cesid and the CNI. They were the last comrades from the Franco movement and some were inspired to join the TVE commanded by Suárez.

“How can you, such a young man, be a fascist?” he asked her on their first date. An audacity that Suárez interpreted as an indelible mark of his character. From there I accompanied him on all his expenses – as minister of the movement, as a delegate in Telefónica… – until he became Prime Minister.

In addition, thanks to his immense capacity for work – “No one entered a single meeting without reading all the documents”, Domingo assures – and his ability to deal with public relations, which was fruitful – thanks to his mediation – in meetings that seemed impossible, Biograf asks “what is the value of the few people who in politics were able to hold vision of the future“.

And so it is that “current politicians routinely return to the news every day, but Carmen thought that within twenty years she would feel the one who worked on it.” The Communist Party was legalized: “It is clear to me that democracy could not advance without it.”

Even with environmentalism, at his age too MEP PSOE de Felipe González separate from Suárez. “I was convinced that at best it wasn’t such a hot topic at the time, but I’m sure it will be used in the future. That’s racial politics,” he said.

Feminism was another reason why Díez de Rivera did not hesitate to stay. Even before Franco’s death, when he decided to contact his father by paper, he took care pro-abortion demonstration. That is why we continue to do this in a democracy. However, her biographer believes “with all certainty” that “she would have been more looking for traditional socialist feminismwhat we understand is the alley of “real hegemonic feminism”, the idea that they have “passed away”.

The machismo of those years sought personal and professional life. “Go through life with four idioms and the first thing you have to do is keep your blue eyes…” Domingo says sarcastically. And also: “I remember that this was also one of the reasons why I was outside a large circle of friends”, among those who met Francisco Umbralwho aired some of his intimidation in his columns. Ultimately, “if you were bad, you couldn’t be happy. And if you were good, you couldn’t be good because you couldn’t be listed…”, the author laments.

Among the rumors circulating about her private life, the alleged romance she had with Adolfo Suárez was much commented on, but she revealed the secret with this freshness: “You would like Suárez to be true”.

Solidarity was the price it is much more than that extremely certain titleso much so that it clearly shows the consequences of being a brilliant woman in a world that was not ready for her merits; Moreover, this is a biography with rigorous thinking, but not intended for academics. Antes on the contrary, it can be read as a novellait can be the story of a fascinating life. And if it was a while ago, it was an excellent opportunity to understand the inner dynamics of political transformation.