The Diplomat
The Council of Ministers yesterday awarded the Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Carlos III to former foreign ministers José Manuel García-Margallo and Arancha González Laya.
García-Margallo held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Mariano Rajoy, from December 2011 to November 2016, while González Laya headed the department, in the Government of Sánchez, between January 2020 and July 2021, when she was relieved by José Manuel Albares.
Both are among a list of 23 former ministers from different governments of our country who were also distinguished yesterday with the Cross of the Order of Carlos IIO, the most distinguished civilian decoration that can be awarded in our country, and which is granted to those people who have stood out especially “for their good deeds for the benefit of Spain and the Crown”.
Among those decorated are the former second vice-president Pablo Iglesias and other former ministers of Pedro Sánchez’s government, such as Carmen Montón, who was head of Health and later appointed ambassador to the OAS; José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, who, after holding the Ministry of Culture and Sports, was appointed ambassador to UNESCO; and Isabel Celaá, former head of Education and former government spokesperson, for whom the Vatican has requested the Vatican’s approval so that she can be appointed ambassador to the Holy See.
