Rafael Salazar Alonso facts for kids

Rafael Salazar Alonso (born December 27, 1895 – died September 23, 1936) was a Spanish lawyer, newspaper owner, and politician. He was involved in different political groups, from left-leaning to right-leaning. He served as the mayor of Madrid and also as a government minister. His life ended during the Spanish Civil War.

Early Life and Career

Rafael Salazar Alonso was born in Madrid, Spain, on December 27, 1895. His father worked as a hairdresser. From a young age, Rafael was interested in politics and joined left-leaning groups that supported a republic.

He worked to support himself while studying law at the Complutense University in Madrid. After becoming a lawyer, he also worked as a journalist. He later joined the Radical Republican Party (PRR), led by Alejandro Lerroux García. This party changed over time, moving more towards the center-right of politics.

Salazar Alonso became the editor of the newspaper El Sol. He also owned or managed several other newspapers, including Informaciones in Madrid. In 1931, he was elected as a city councilor for Madrid. He was part of a group of republican parties and the Spanish Socialist Workers Party. He also became the president of the provincial council in Madrid.

Political Journey in Parliament

From 1931 to 1936, Rafael Salazar Alonso served as a member of parliament for Badajoz. In February 1933, he helped create the Association of Friends of the Soviet Union.

In March 1934, Salazar Alonso became the Minister of the Interior. This was a very important job. Soon after, he declared a state of emergency, which meant he had special powers. He banned several youth and political groups. He also told police to be very strict.

He called a strike by workers' unions "revolutionary" and banned it. This strike was about changes to land reform. The government then took strong actions, including banning land-workers' unions. With help from local powerful people and police, he removed many socialist mayors and replaced them with his own supporters. This left many farmers without local help. He also said that the harvest was a national service and put strict rules on newspapers.

In the Spanish parliament, many people said his actions were against the law. He became a disliked figure for left-wing groups and unions. However, his actions were part of a plan to make the left angry, with support from his colleague José María Gil-Robles. Because of major events in October 1934, especially in Catalonia and Asturias, he was made mayor of Madrid on October 19, staying in that role for one year.

Challenges and Political Decline

Towards the end of 1934, Salazar Alonso was involved in a gambling scandal. This scandal was about a rigged roulette game called Straperlo. This event greatly harmed his political career and his party. He and other important figures were accused of taking money to make the game legal in casinos. He reportedly received a large sum of money and a gold watch.

Unhappy with his payment, he even arranged for police to raid the casino when the game first opened in San Sebastián. Another game opened in Pollença but was quickly stopped after complaints. The person who invented the game, Daniel Strauss, left Spain but sent a letter to Lerroux, accusing him and others. This letter was then shown to the president.

Salazar Alonso barely survived a vote in parliament in October 1934. He then resigned as mayor of Madrid. He was also removed from the government. During a debate in parliament about the uprisings in Asturias and Catalonia, a former minister blamed Salazar Alonso for the events. This led to Salazar Alonso walking out of parliament.

During his election campaign in Badajoz, people often shouted about his involvement in the Straperlo scandal. He failed to get re-elected. In April 1936, he became the president of the right-wing newspaper Informaciones.

His Final Days

When the Spanish Civil War began, Rafael Salazar Alonso went into hiding. He first stayed at the Portuguese Embassy and then at a friend's house. His wife and daughter were arrested, and his wife told the police where he was, but he had already left. He then hid in the Palacio de Viana.

On August 31, 1936, he was arrested. He was treated well by his captors. He was then taken to the Cárcel Modelo prison. Only his lawyers and a Chilean ambassador visited him. His new partner, Amparo Munilla, also visited him daily.

On September 19, he was accused of being part of a military plot. The judge, Mariano Gómez, was a moderate Republican. The prosecution showed that Salazar Alonso had caused the Asturian uprising but admitted they had no proof he was involved in the military plot. Amparo Munilla spoke in court to defend him.

On September 22, 1936, he was sentenced to death for his supposed role in the military uprising. The president, Manuel Azaña, disagreed with the sentence. The government cabinet voted to change his sentence to life imprisonment. However, the judge, Mariano Gómez, spoke to a socialist minister, Indalecio Prieto, saying he feared that letting Salazar Alonso live would cause a revolt. Prieto then changed his vote, and the cabinet's decision was reversed. Rafael Salazar Alonso was executed the next day.

See also

In Spanish: Rafael Salazar Alonso para niños