In Spain, the royal family has publicly responded to the death of Soledad Gallego-Díaz, former editor-in-chief of EL PAÍS. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia sent a telegram to the newspaper’s editorial office, stressing the significance of this loss for the journalistic community and readers. The message came less than two days after the celebration of the newspaper’s 50th anniversary, which lent particular poignancy to the event.
In their telegram addressed to EL PAÍS director Jan Martínez Ahrens, the king and queen noted that Soledad Gallego-Díaz’s absence is felt not only in the newsroom but also among the wider audience. According to them, she always approached any subject through the lens of citizens’ interests and consistently upheld the principles of professional ethics. Special emphasis was placed on the fact that Gallego-Díaz was the first woman to lead EL PAÍS and remained committed to the idea of journalistic independence, even under pressure and temptations to use the media for political purposes.
In the text of the telegram, the royal couple recalled their meetings with Gallego-Díaz, including the ceremony for the Cerecedo Award nearly twenty years ago. At that time, the journalist emphasized that information is not just the accurate presentation of facts, but also their competent interpretation, which can only be provided by professional journalism. The king and queen especially highlighted her persistence in defending the journalist’s voice and her concern for the future of the profession.
The death of Soledad Gallego-Díaz resonated not only among her colleagues but also among readers, who acknowledge her contribution to the development of Spanish journalism. In recent years, issues of press independence and the protection of information sources have repeatedly become subjects of public debate. For example, a recent discussion took place in Madrid about the transfer of journalists’ data from EL PAÍS, which was covered in detail in the report about the actions of Ayuso’s chief of staff.
The royal family concluded their statement with words of support for the family and colleagues of Gallego-Díaz, emphasizing that her professionalism and civic stance will remain an example for future generations of journalists.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source russpain.com ’
