“The king Juan Carlos will be here this weekend between us”. With these words, the mayor of Sanxenxo, Telmo Martín, confirmed what had been an open secret since Monday, and that is that the tourist jewel of the Rías Baixas will be one of the first places chosen by the King Emeritus to enjoy his first days in Spain after two years of stay in Abu Dhabi.
Martín explained that the former head of state will travel to Sanxenxo to participate in the 3rd Regatta of the IV Circuit of the Spanish Cup 2022 class 6M, a discipline in which Juan Carlos I is still world champion, although he does not know if he will do it to “watch the competition or participating in it”. “I do know that he will be among us,” he pointed out and “We are delighted to be able to show him once again the affection we feel for him, especially after two years of absence.”
Martín: “We are delighted to be able to show him once again the affection we feel for him, especially after two years of absence.”
As for the possible date of arrival of the King Emeritus in Sanxenxo, the councilor said he did not know these details, although referred to the regatta calendar. According to the agenda of the Nauticalthe sports event starts on Friday morning so that could be the day in which the emeritus is already in the Rías Baixas or even before.
Martín also did not release a pledge about the place where Juan Carlos I will stay. “He is not going to sleep on the street,” he joked. “In Sanxenxo we have 16,000 homes, of which 11,000 are second homes, as well as magnificent hotels, family-oriented, and we welcome everyone with great affection, something that shows that we have been the number 1 tourist destination in northwestern Spain in overnight stays” . He also does not know if he will be accompanied by his daughters or some other member of the royal family on this visit.
Martín confirmed that the reason for the visit is the 6M Regatta that takes place between Friday and Sunday, although he does not know if the emeritus, world champion in this discipline, will participate in it
The Sanxen alderman, whose relationship with the monarch is quite close since he visited the town for the first time in 2001, explained that for now he does not have any meeting or closed event with Juan Carlos I but he did express his desire to be able to see him: “I hope to be able to greet you personally, of course.” The alderman insisted that “it is very positive” that the king emeritus returns to Sanxenxo, where “he loves you very much”, also for the projection that it gives to the municipality because “There was a before and after” since the visits of the former head of state to Sanxenxo in terms of its tourist projection, “and that is something that can be verified in the INE”. Something that “the business and tourism sector of Sanxenxo knew how to take advantage of a lot” with the support of the City Council.
As for the security device, the Civil Guard is already preparing an operation similar to that of previous visits by Juan Carlos I to the town with the collaboration of the Sanxenxo Local Police. Martín also did not want to advance anything about it, but assured that Sanxenxo and its Local Police are “prepared” for this type of visit.
Great news for Rueda
The president of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, has said that “it would be great news” that the king emeritus plans to be in the municipality of Sanxenxo (Pontevedra) this weekend as his first visit to Spain almost two years after his departure to Abu Dhabi.
In an interview granted this Tuesday to Cadena Cope, collected by Europa Press, Rueda still had “no confirmation” of the information that points to the visit of Don Juan Carlos, although the “rumors are more insistent.”
However, the Galician president has ensured that “The previous occasions” that the emeritus visited the municipality had a “positive impact” due to “the affection of the people” and the benefit not only for Sanxenxo, but for Galicia from the point of view of tourism, influx and putting ourselves on the map”.
“His first visit to Spain in Sanxenxo, where he feels so comfortable and has so many friends, would be great news for us”, says the president of the Xunta
His first visit to Spain in Sanxenxo, where he is so comfortable and has so many friends, would be great news for us.” has summarized.
Likewise, there is no confirmation that Pope Francis will visit Galicia in 2022, coinciding with the second Holy Year. “We would love to,” said Rueda, since it would be “a magnificent climax to a second Xacobeo year that is being spectacular.”
This is a matter that the Galician Government asks “continually” to the Archbishopric of Santiago de Compostela. “As long as he doesn’t tell us no, I’m going to think so”, he has wished.