Word: franco
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...second factor to cheer Franco is Spain's increasing friendship with Argentina, as exemplified last week by the jubilant reception for Strong-Man Perón's wife (see LATIN AMERICA). Another is the regime's conviction that it enjoys the blessings of the Vatican. At High Mass last Sunday in Madrid's biggest Jesuit church, just before the elevation of the Host, I heard organ and choir strike up Franco's national anthem while the congregation stood at attention or sank to its knees...
Madrid belonged to Evita last week. Not since the welcome to Hekirich Himmler in 1940 had the Franco regime tuned up a reception as thunderous as the one it handed the dashing blonde wife of Argentina's President Juan Perón. Evita drew even larger crowds than had ever turned out for Dictator Franco himself. "Of course," went the explanation, "she's better looking...
...fact was that Madrid's enthusiasm was real, not the synthetic show that Madrilenos are accustomed to giving for Franco. The 200,000 who lined Madrid's floodlit streets on the night of her arrival knew that Evita-and Argentina-stood for the wheat in their bread. As they saw more of her, on balconies, in the theater, at the bull ring, they learned that she had a way with a Spanish crowd...
...consisted of an adroit plugging of the common bonds of religion and blood which unite Spaniards and Argentines. It also involved some fancy costuming. It was the hottest day of the year when Evita got the diamond-encrusted Grand Cross of Isabel la Católica from Dictator Franco; but she wore a full-length mink cape. At the special performance of Lope de Vega's classic Spanish drama, Fuente Ovejuna in the Teatro Español, Evita turned up in a long cape of ostrich feathers. At the bullfight, which she held up half an hour by arriving...
True & False? Her words fell sweetly on the ears of Franco and his followers. To 40,000 Madrilenos who jammed into the Plaza de Oriente, Evita praised the "true, distributive democracy" of Spain and Argentina. She contrasted it with the "false, deceptive democracy" of other unnamed nations. The crowd roared encouragement, then slowly, beginning with a core of falangistas in the center of the square, raised arms in the officially abolished Fascist salute. Evita, and the Dictator at her side, saluted them back...