An early member of the Falange, which he joined in 1933, he served as the movement's first secretary and garnered a reputation as one of the new group's most effective public speakers.[1] He was a candidate for the Falange at the 1936 election, although he was not elected.[1]
Spanish Civil Waredit
Fernández-Cuesta was imprisoned upon the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War by Republicans and, although he escaped twice, was recaptured on both occasions.[1] He was released from captivity in October 1937 when he was involved in a prisoner swap with Justino de Azcárate, who was held by the Nationalists.[1] Soon after his release he was appointed Secretary general of the unified Falangist-Carlist movement although he did not prove talented as a political organiser and was replaced in the role by Agustín Muñoz Grandes in 1939.[1] His appointment as leader was largely intended to keep onside Falangists who feared the influence of both the Army and monarchism on Franco, but the role proved to have little power since real influence over Franco was instead to lie with Ramón Serrano Súñer.[2]
Within this early Burgos-based government of Francisco Franco, he also fulfilled the role of Agriculture Minister.[3] This too however proved to be largely a failed endeavour.[1]
Removaledit
Such was the influence of Súñer that, after the Spanish Civil War, he engineered the effective exile of his rival Fernández-Cuesta, who was appointed Spanish ambassador first to Brazil (1940–1942) and then to Italy (1942–1945).[4] Alongside this, Fernández-Cuesta's reputation was damaged by his failure in the Agriculture portfolio, with Spain facing famine in the 1940s largely as a consequence of the failed policies he had previously adopted in the role.[5] Nevertheless, his personal loyalty to Franco was never less than absolute, a fact that ensured he would never be fully excluded from positions of influence.[1]
Return to politicsedit
Fernández-Cuesta was effectively absent from the frontline of Spanish politics until 1945 when he was appointed Minister of Justice.[6] As part of his remit he oversaw a liberalisation of Spain's treatment of dissidents designed to win the regime support from NATO, including announcing in December 1949 plans to release 13,000 political prisoners (although in fact only 3,000 were ultimately released under the scheme).[7] He was moved in 1951 to the post of General Secretary of the Movement and oversaw a return to much more draconian ways as unrest over rising unemployment repression under Fernández-Cuesta's direction.[8] He lost this position in early 1956 after Franco came under pressure by leading figures in the Army to remove him following a riot at the University of Madrid in which it was said that the Falangist Frente de Juventudes had acted too heavy-handedly in battling students seeking to organise their own syndicate outside of the official government body.[9] His position was however filled by his ally José Luis de Arrese as Franco continued to seek a balance between the different wings of his movement within the cabinet.[10]
Effectively sidelined, Fernández-Cuesta became loosely associated with extreme rightists such as General Iniesta Cano and Blas Piñar.[10] Removed from the political front-line once again, he nonetheless remained a member of the Cortes Españolas he became recognised as one of the most hard-line and reactionary of the old clique of Franco loyalists who continued to occupy the back benches of the parliament.[11] He was especially critical of the gradual liberalisation that began to creep in during the early 1970s as an increasingly frail Franco began to exercise less day to day power.[11]
After Francoedit
After Franco's death he re-founded the Falange Española de las JONS, a nostalgic group that failed to make any headway in democratic Spain.[12] Despite leading his own party he was allowed to simultaneously hold membership of Blas Piñar's Fuerza Nueva, with the two parties running a joint campaign in the 1977 election. The groups managed only 0.21% of the vote however.[11]
Fernández-Cuesta retired from politics in February 1983, with Diego Márquez Horrillo succeeding him as Falange Española de las JONS leader.[11] He published his memoirs, Testimonio, Recuerdos y Reflexiones, in 1985.[11]
^C.P. Blamires, World Fascism - A Historical Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, 2006, p. 233
April 13, 2024
raimundo, fernández, cuesta, this, spanish, name, first, paternal, surname, fernández, cuesta, second, maternal, family, name, merelo, merelo, october, 1896, madrid, july, 1992, madrid, leading, spanish, politician, with, both, falange, successor, movement, sp. In this Spanish name the first or paternal surname is Fernandez Cuesta and the second or maternal family name is Merelo Raimundo Fernandez Cuesta y Merelo 5 October 1896 Madrid 9 July 1992 Madrid was a leading Spanish politician with both the Falange and its successor movement the Spanish Traditionalist Phalanx of the Assemblies of National Syndicalist Offensive Raimundo Fernandez Cuesta Contents 1 Early life 2 Spanish Civil War 3 Removal 4 Return to politics 5 After Franco 6 ReferencesEarly life editA native of Madrid Fernandez Cuesta studied at the local university where he gained a law degree 1 He was a close friend of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera from childhood 1 An early member of the Falange which he joined in 1933 he served as the movement s first secretary and garnered a reputation as one of the new group s most effective public speakers 1 He was a candidate for the Falange at the 1936 election although he was not elected 1 Spanish Civil War editFernandez Cuesta was imprisoned upon the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War by Republicans and although he escaped twice was recaptured on both occasions 1 He was released from captivity in October 1937 when he was involved in a prisoner swap with Justino de Azcarate who was held by the Nationalists 1 Soon after his release he was appointed Secretary general of the unified Falangist Carlist movement although he did not prove talented as a political organiser and was replaced in the role by Agustin Munoz Grandes in 1939 1 His appointment as leader was largely intended to keep onside Falangists who feared the influence of both the Army and monarchism on Franco but the role proved to have little power since real influence over Franco was instead to lie with Ramon Serrano Suner 2 Within this early Burgos based government of Francisco Franco he also fulfilled the role of Agriculture Minister 3 This too however proved to be largely a failed endeavour 1 Removal editSuch was the influence of Suner that after the Spanish Civil War he engineered the effective exile of his rival Fernandez Cuesta who was appointed Spanish ambassador first to Brazil 1940 1942 and then to Italy 1942 1945 4 Alongside this Fernandez Cuesta s reputation was damaged by his failure in the Agriculture portfolio with Spain facing famine in the 1940s largely as a consequence of the failed policies he had previously adopted in the role 5 Nevertheless his personal loyalty to Franco was never less than absolute a fact that ensured he would never be fully excluded from positions of influence 1 Return to politics editFernandez Cuesta was effectively absent from the frontline of Spanish politics until 1945 when he was appointed Minister of Justice 6 As part of his remit he oversaw a liberalisation of Spain s treatment of dissidents designed to win the regime support from NATO including announcing in December 1949 plans to release 13 000 political prisoners although in fact only 3 000 were ultimately released under the scheme 7 He was moved in 1951 to the post of General Secretary of the Movement and oversaw a return to much more draconian ways as unrest over rising unemployment repression under Fernandez Cuesta s direction 8 He lost this position in early 1956 after Franco came under pressure by leading figures in the Army to remove him following a riot at the University of Madrid in which it was said that the Falangist Frente de Juventudes had acted too heavy handedly in battling students seeking to organise their own syndicate outside of the official government body 9 His position was however filled by his ally Jose Luis de Arrese as Franco continued to seek a balance between the different wings of his movement within the cabinet 10 Effectively sidelined Fernandez Cuesta became loosely associated with extreme rightists such as General Iniesta Cano and Blas Pinar 10 Removed from the political front line once again he nonetheless remained a member of the Cortes Espanolas he became recognised as one of the most hard line and reactionary of the old clique of Franco loyalists who continued to occupy the back benches of the parliament 11 He was especially critical of the gradual liberalisation that began to creep in during the early 1970s as an increasingly frail Franco began to exercise less day to day power 11 After Franco editAfter Franco s death he re founded the Falange Espanola de las JONS a nostalgic group that failed to make any headway in democratic Spain 12 Despite leading his own party he was allowed to simultaneously hold membership of Blas Pinar s Fuerza Nueva with the two parties running a joint campaign in the 1977 election The groups managed only 0 21 of the vote however 11 Fernandez Cuesta retired from politics in February 1983 with Diego Marquez Horrillo succeeding him as Falange Espanola de las JONS leader 11 He published his memoirs Testimonio Recuerdos y Reflexiones in 1985 11 Preceded bynew post General Secretary of the Movement1938 1939 Succeeded byAgustin Munoz GrandesPreceded byJose Luis de Arrese General Secretary of the Movement1948 1956 Succeeded byJose Luis de ArreseReferences edit a b c d e f g h i Philip Rees Biographical Dictionary of the Extreme Right Since 1890 Simon amp Schuster 1990 p 124 De Blaye Franco p 141 E de Blaye Franco and the Politics of Spain Penguin Books 1976 p 139 De Blaye Franco p 142 Paul H Lewis Latin Fascist Elites Greenwood Publishing Group 2002 p 82 De Blaye Franco p 161 De Blaye Franco p 175 De Blaye Franco pp 177 9 De Blaye Franco p 187 a b De Blaye Franco p 357 a b c d e Rees p 125 C P Blamires World Fascism A Historical Encyclopedia ABC CLIO 2006 p 233 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Raimundo Fernandez Cuesta amp oldid 1160721937, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
