Acknowledgments

No book, work, or satire can grasp what Spain means without thanking those whose decisions, mistakes, successes, and historical moments have made this country what it is today. So, strange as it may seem, I want to begin these acknowledgments with the greatest of Spains, and what better way than to start with our country’s highest institutional figure.

His Majesty King Felipe VI: Thank you, Your Majesty, for representing a modern, approachable Spain and guiding this country through turbulent times with serenity and firmness. Since taking over, you have symbolized a monarchy adapted to the present, with the ability to be present yet discreet. You are the image of a monarchy that, despite criticism, remains an important pillar of our democracy.

His Majesty King Juan Carlos I: Your Majesty the King Emeritus, if anyone embodies Spain’s transition to democracy, it is you. Thank you for steering the most important change in our recent history, for safeguarding a monarchy that knew how to adapt to the times and helped consolidate our democracy at moments of utmost tension. Your role was fundamental in making possible the Spain we know today: a plural, modern country open to the world.

Pedro Sánchez (Prime Minister): Pedro, I thank you for your ability to face unexpected challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which tested not only our health system but the whole country’s endurance. With its ups and downs, under your leadership Spain has pulled through moments of extreme difficulty, once again showing our ability to recover. The Minimum Living Income, despite its initial complications, represents an important commitment to reducing inequality.

And now, my sincerest thanks to the prime ministers who, with their strengths and shortcomings, left their mark on Spain’s history:

Mariano Rajoy (2011–2018): Thank you, Mariano, for your calm style—perhaps too calm at times—which helped keep Spain stable amid the economic crisis and difficult recession years. You left us phrases that will go down in history, and although your pragmatism was criticized, you managed to contain the financial crisis’s effects and lead a recovery that, although slow, allowed Spain to climb out of the economic hole we were in.

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (2004–2011): José Luis, we thank you for advancing social rights as never before in this country. Under your government, Spain pioneered marriage equality, and you firmly defended civil rights. Your commitment to the Alliance of Civilizations and focus on social rights is also undeniable, although you had to contend with the outbreak of the 2008 global economic crisis, which hit us hard.

José María Aznar (1996–2004): José María, your legacy includes consolidating the Spanish economy within the ORGANIZATION-004, and with adoption of the euro, Spain took an important step toward financial modernization. Although you are also remembered for your controversial support for the Iraq War, economically Spain experienced a period of growth during your term, and you achieved a notable reduction in unemployment in the early years.

Felipe González (1982–1996): Felipe, if anyone knew how to transform Spain and position it in Europe, it was you. Under your government, Spain joined the European Economic Community—now the ORGANIZATION-004—and experienced one of its greatest periods of modernization. We cannot forget the Moncloa Pacts or the creation of the welfare state, which laid the foundations of contemporary Spain. Although your final years in office were marred by scandals, your role as a modernizer is undeniable.

Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo (1981–1982): Leopoldo, you had to be prime minister at an extremely difficult time. You faced the turbulent days after the failed coup of February 23, and your role was key to Spain’s entry into NATO. Although your term was short, your contribution during the transition was vital to maintaining democratic stability.

Adolfo Suárez (1976–1981): Adolfo, you are the great architect of democracy in Spain. Words cannot adequately thank you for steering a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. Against all odds, you secured the approval of the 1978 Constitution, which remains the framework of coexistence in which we live. You were the right person at the right time, and your legacy is so great that we owe much of what we have today to you.

Carlos Arias Navarro (1974–1976): Carlos, your premiership was short and difficult, at a time when Spain was living through the final years of Franco’s dictatorship. You were the last prime minister under Franco’s regime, and although many remember your famous “Spaniards, Franco is dead!”, your role was crucial to maintaining stability during a period of uncertainty.

All Spain’s prime ministers have, in one way or another, helped make this country what it is today: a place that keeps moving forward despite its contradictions. We may complain often, and things may not always work as they should, but the fact that we are still standing, improving with every decade, is in large part thanks to them.

Thanks to Spain. Finally, this book would not have been possible without Spain itself. Thank you, Spain, for being a country where chaos coexists with beauty, delays are part of our identity, and despite everything we always find a way forward. Thank you for being that place where culture, humor, and history intertwine in an endless dance. Thank you to every Spanish citizen whose patience, ingenuity, and humor make it all worthwhile.

We remain a country full of challenges, yes, but also of possibilities. And what makes Spain special is our ability to turn difficulties into reasons to laugh, because if anything defines us, it is our ability to keep going without losing our smile and, above all, without losing hope.

Thank you, all of you.