Self-exiled in … a golden cage in Abu Dhabi, Juan Carlos – Depressed and alone, what his friends say | WORLD

In the early morning of August 4, Juan Carlos left his native land in an unknown direction.

The Spanish royal family took two whole weeks to explain themselves: the monarch, who abdicated in 2014 in favor of Felipe’s son and now faces serious charges of bribery and tax irregularities, has settled in Abu Dhabi. Socialist government officials speak of “escape.” Since then, radio silence has prevailed. No photos are circulating, no statements are made, no information on where the 82-year-old is and what he is doing.

While the royal family and the president of the government, Pedro Sánchez, are silent, Juan Carlos’s friends make alarming statements in the Spanish media. It is said that the former monarch suffers from depression away from his eight grandchildren and his sailing friends, that he feels nostalgic for his homeland and company, that he above all worries about not dying alone and in self-exile. Yet at least he remains completely protected from the paparazzi in his “golden cage”, the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, devoting his time to relaxation and physical therapy. He is said to have a friendly relationship with the heir to the throne Zaed bin Sultan Al Nayyan.

“There is no solution” for the former monarch

Many Spanish citizens, as well as members of the left in Spain, ask who pays for Juan Carlos’ accommodation and security in distant Abu Dhabi. So far they have not received a response. However, the journalist and writer Pilar Eyre, who is considered familiar with the royal family, maintains that there is no solution to the case of Juan Carlos. “My sources assure me that he will not return,” Eire, 70, told the Spanish website Okdiario. Along the same lines, the newspaper El Mundo points out that “there is no plan for the return of Juan Carlos.” According to the authorized newspaper, the decisions will not be made by the former monarch himself, but by the “royal house.” But why not return Juan Carlos to Spain?

For a very simple reason: the expectations of the royal family, but also the Spanish government, that in the absence of the former monarch he will be forgotten and the numerous scandals in which he is allegedly involved, have not been fulfilled. Quite the opposite is true: the authorities are launching a new judicial investigation in cases of which they are not revealing details. However, according to Spanish reports, it is about money laundering and tax crimes. Among other things, Juan Carlos is accused of receiving a credit card from a Mexican businessman, with which he covered his consumer needs for many years. He is also accused of receiving $ 100 million in bribes from Saudi Arabia to mediate the construction of a high-speed rail line by a Spanish consortium. Added to all this are the demands for the recognition of illegitimate children, always according to reports.

Times have changed for Juan Carlos …

How did a monarch who was once the most popular in Spain and sympathized around the world find himself in such an unfavorable position? Everyone knows that Juan Carlos has always been a bon vivant who enjoys life. But he was more than that: he was the man who saved the Spanish Republic at a critical moment in February 1981, just five years after the death of dictator Franco, when he forced a group of coup plotters to surrender their weapons. For decades the Spanish were proud of their monarch, not only for his determination to defend the regime, but also for his perversions. Except that “today the mentality has changed, not only in the ordinary world, but also in politicians and judges”, observes the newspaper La Vanguardia de Barcelona. This change was seen in 2012 when, in the midst of an economic crisis, Juan Carlos traveled to Africa for an elephant safari, sparking widespread outcry. This was followed by health problems, some surgeries, rumors of extramarital affairs and a tax scandal that led to almost six years in prison for Juan Carlos’ son-in-law, Iniaki Urdangarin, wife of Princess Cristina.

Finally, in June 2014, Juan Carlos resigned from the throne “almost voluntarily”, as some Spanish media observed, as a result of which he lost the immunity that had protected him since 1975, when he ascended to the throne. The scandals were the bread and butter of opponents of the monarchy, including Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias. The Times of London estimates that after Juan Carlos’ “flight” to Abu Dhabi, the Spanish monarchy receives such a severe blow that its longevity seems doubtful. he doesn’t want his father to come back. It is said that to date only Juan Carlos’s daughter Elena has visited him in Abu Dhabi. However, according to the newspaper El País, Juan Carlos expects visits at Christmas, specifically Elena, her daughter Christina and some of her grandchildren. As for the former queen Sofía, when a journalist asked her months ago if she has contact with Juan Carlos, she only said: “My God, what are these questions …?” This was the only official statement from the royal family in recent months.

Source: Deutsche Welle