Alberto Ullastres
José Núñez Iglesias | |
|---|---|
Ullastres in 1965 | |
| Minister of Trade | |
| In office February 26, 1957 – July 8, 1965 | |
| Preceded by | Manuel Arburúa de la Miyar |
| Succeeded by | Faustino García-Moncó |
| Ambassador Head of Mission of Spain to the European Communities | |
| In office October 8, 1965 – November 13, 1976 | |
| Preceded by | José Núñez Iglesias |
| Succeeded by | Raimundo Bassols |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 15, 1914 Madrid, Spain |
| Died | November 15, 2001 (aged 87) Madrid, Spain |
| Alma mater | Complutense University of Madrid |
Alberto Ullastres (15 January 1914 – 15 November 2001) was Spain's trade minister (1957–1965) and ambassador to the European Economic Community (1965–1976) under Francisco Franco.[1] Ullastres was part of the so-called "Opusdeistas" – ministers under Franco who were also members of the Opus Dei organisation.[2][3][4]
Life
He was born in Madrid on 15 January 1914 and died in Madrid on 15 November 2001.[5]
He studied law and commerce. He obtained a doctorate in law from the University of Madrid. He was university professor (catedratico) for political economy.
Economic studies and work
Because of the so-called Spanish miracle, which has been attributed to him and the other Spanish technocrats, Ullastres has been counted among the "great economists".[6] He studied the economic doctrines of the School of Salamanca of the 16th and 17th centuries, especially the doctrine of Juan de Mariana and of Martín de Azpilcueta.
In an article "The Awakening Land", Time magazine attributed Spain's economic modernization to him: "On a hot July day in 1959, Ullastres announced a sweeping stabilization plan. Credit was tightened, the budget slashed, the peseta devalued to a realistic 60 to the dollar. With the aid of a $400 million international loan, Ullastres threw open Spain's doors to imports necessary to rebuild its economy. And over the howls of government protectionists, he pushed through a series of measures to encourage foreign investors to enter Spain. The success of the stabilization plan was miraculous. By 1963 Spain had $1.1 billion in foreign reserves and a booming economy."[7]
Minister of Trade
On February 26, 1957, Ullastres replaced Manuel Arburúa de la Miyar as minister of trade. From this position, he pushed forward the so-called Stabilization Plan which brought about Spain's transition from economic autarchy to liberalization and internationalization of the national economy, an economic success which has been called the Spanish miracle.[8]
Also, he was the first trade minister to establish relations with the European Common Market and promoted Spain's integration into major international economic organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the World Bank, and the European Organization for Economic Cooperation (now the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD).
Ambassador in Europe
His pro-European vocation and his support for greater economic openness to the European market led him to be appointed head of the Mission of Spain to the European Communities (the European Economic Community,[9] the European Atomic Energy Community,[10] and the European Coal and Steel Community[11]) in 1965, a position he held until 1976.[12]
Ullastres enjoyed great autonomy in managing European diplomatic relations[13] and, under his leadership, important treaties such as the Preferential Trade Agreement between Spain and the European Economic Community of 1970 were negotiated.
On November 7, 1973, an ETA commando attempted to kidnap him at his home in Brussels, but a change in his usual routine and the reaction of an employee thwarted the operation.[14]
Private activities
From 1986 to 1994, Ullastres worked in the private sector, serving as Customer Advocate for BBVA.[15]
From 1977 to 2001, Ullastres coordinated the "European Union courses" —also known as "Ullastres courses"[16]— of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[17]
References
- ^ González y González, Manuel Jesús (2022). "Personajes: Alberto Ullastres Calvo". Historia Hispánica (in Spanish). Royal Academy of History. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
- ^ Pilapil, Vicente R. (1971). "Opus Dei in Spain". The World Today. 27 (5): 211–221. ISSN 0043-9134. JSTOR 40394504.
- ^ "Ministros de Franco pertenecientes al Opus Dei" (in Spanish). Opus Dei. 2 December 2009. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
- ^ "Los ministros de Franco que eran del Opus Dei". atreveteasaber.centroeu.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Fallece el ex ministro franquista Alberto Ullastres, autor del plan de estabilización". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2001-11-16. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ Great economists(in Spanish)
- ^ "The Awakening Land". Time. January 21, 1966. (archived from the original June 22, 2008)
- ^ Biografias y Vidas article (in Spanish)
- ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (8 October 1965). "Decreto 2886/1965, de 21 de julio, por el que se nombra Embajador de España ante la Comunidad Económica Europea a don Alberto Ullastres y Calvo" [Decree 2886/1965, of July 21, appointing Alberto Ullastres y Calvo as Ambassador of Spain to the European Economic Community.] (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (15 November 1965). "Decreto 3242/1965, de 21 de septiembre, por el que se nombra Embajador de España ante la Comunidad Europea de la Energía Atómica a don Alberto Ullastres y Calvo" [Decree 3242/1965, of September 21, appointing Alberto Ullastres y Calvo as Ambassador of Spain to the European Atomic Energy Community.] (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (15 November 1965). "Decreto 3243/1965, de 21 de septiembre, por el que se nombra Embajador de España, ante la Comunidad Europea del Carbón y del Acero a don Alberto Ullastres y Calvo" [Decree 3243/1965, of September 21, appointing Mr. Alberto Ullastres y Calvo as Ambassador of Spain to the European Coal and Steel Community.] (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (13 November 1976). "Real Decreto 2577/1976, de 12 de noviembre, por el que se dispone que don Alberto Ullastres y Calvo cese en el cargo de Embajador Jefe de la Misión de España ante las Comunidades Europeas, agradeciéndole los servicios prestados" [Royal Decree 2577/1976, of November 12, which provides that Mr. Alberto Ullastres y Calvo shall cease to hold office as Ambassador Head of the Spanish Mission to the European Communities, and expresses his gratitude for his services.] (PDF). Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ Pereira Castañares, Juan Carlos (2023). "La administración española ante el proceso de integración en las comunidades europeas (1976-1986)" [The Spanish administration in the process of integration into the European communities (1976-1986)]. Historia Actual Online (in Spanish) (61): 61. eISSN 1696-2060. ISSN 1696-2060 – via Dialnet.
Indeed, Ullastres was going to be the central protagonist of a new stage of negotiations until November 1976. According to Solbes, he was a man with great power and influence both in the governments and in Franco himself, of whom he mentions the instructions received by the dictator when he sent him to Brussels: "Ullastres, you do what you want, but above all, do not let them get angry with us."
- ^ Fernández Liébana, Carlos (8 November 1973). Bruselas: intento de secuestro del embajador Ullastres [Brussels: Attempted kidnapping of Ambassador Ullastres] (PDF). 15,277 (in Spanish) (7th ed.). La Gaceta del Norte. p. 40.
- ^ DÍAS, CINCO (2002-10-30). "El BBVA nombra defensor del cliente a Ortega Díaz-Ambrona". Cinco Días (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ "Orden AEC/3247/2010, de 13 de diciembre, por la que se reorganiza el curso sobre la Unión Europea de la Escuela Diplomática". www.boe.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (22 July 2025). "Courses on the European Union". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2 October 2025.