España ante el 25 de abril 1974 (Juego de espejos peninsulares)

To understand the impact of the Carnation Revolution (April 25th, 1974) on Spanish media, it is essential to consider, in this “game of mirrors,” the distorted perspectives shaped by history and Spain’s unique political situation during its transition to democracy. These chronic distortions date back to the medieval period. On the Portuguese side, the colonial legacy left behind by Salazar is the direct cause of the collapse of the unsustainable colonial empire, opening the door to democracy. Meanwhile, in Spain, Franco is in a pre-agonal state around the same time. Furthermore, the Spanish regime faces another significant challenge, also with colonial overtones: the Green March, Morocco’s takeover of the Spanish Sahara. Adding to the “historical distortions,” the specific circumstances faced by the Franco regime during these delicate moments explain the manipulated (concave/convex) Spanish perspective on the events unfolding in the neighboring nation. This perspective oscillates between the establishment’s fear and the republican hope for regime change after Franco’s imminent demise (November 20th, 1975). The analysis of sources focuses on three newspapers from Valladolid, which perfectly reflect the three main perspectives within the Spanish press.