The Diplomat in Spain

Juan David Latorre

Last Monday, the Slovak Embassy received as a donation from the Fundación Esgon Plus a bust of the prominent Slovak politician, Alexander Dubček, created by the renowned artist, sculptor Santiago de Santiago, to contribute to the knowledge of the author’s work.

The presentation was made by the president of the Fundación Esgon Plus, Carlos Escudero de Buron y González, and Rosa María López Maroto de Carranza, the person who knew Santiago de Santisgo best and who was at his side for more than 30 years.

The Slovak ambassador, Juraj Tomaga, recalled at the beginning of his speech the list of cities that have a bust of Alexander Dubček, such as Prague, Bratislava, Ankara, Rome, Bologna, Berlin, the United States, Strasbourg and now Madrid.

“Alexander Dubček, the ambassador continued, belongs to that class of historical personalities who excel in achieving their goals, thanks to which Slovakia and the Czech Republic today are democratic states. His respect for freedom and his philosophy made him famous all over the world”.

This prominent Slovak politician visited Madrid in 1990 at the invitation of the then President of Congress, Felix Pons. On 26 April of that year he met Felipe González and received the award of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Complutense University. It is there that the other bust of Alexander Dubček by the prominent Spanish sculptor Santiago de Santiago is located. I am glad that from today Madrid has two statues”.

“I did not know Dubček in person, but I knew his sons very well, one of them our colleague in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But I did know Santiago de Santiago, whom we visited in 2009 at his home in the Plaza de Toros.”

The Slovak ambassador was accompanied at the ceremony by his Czech colleague, Libor Sečka.