Antonio Fontán
Spanish journalist and anti-Franco activist / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Antonio Fontán?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Antonio Fontán Pérez, 1st Marquess of Guadalcanal (15 October 1923 – 14 January 2010) was a Spanish journalist recognized for his work in promoting press freedom in his country. He was also a well-known Catholic and a member of Opus Dei.[1]
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2012) |
Antonio Fontán | |
---|---|
Born | Antonio Fontán Pérez (1923-10-15)15 October 1923 |
Died | January 14, 2010(2010-01-14) (aged 86) |
Nationality | Spanish |
Alma mater | University of Seville |
Occupation(s) | Journalist, politician |
Antonio Fontán was the editor of the independent newspaper Madrid from 1967 to 1971. The periodical openly criticized Francisco Franco's authoritarian rule. In 1968, the government began a campaign against the newspaper, in which Fontán was prosecuted 19 times and fined 10 times in the span of four months.[2] In October 1971, the authorities demanded Fontán's resignation, closing down the paper a few weeks later. Fontán's staunch defense of the principles of free expression during those five years as editor earned him and his staff a unique place in the annals of Spanish journalism.
In 1977, Fontán was elected to the Spanish Senate as a member of the Unión de Centro Democrático, in the first democratic general elections after the end of Francoist Spain. During his career, Fontán co-authored Spain's Constitution of 1978, which recognized freedom of expression and freedom of information as fundamental rights. He also served as a minister from 1979 to 1982.
At the time of his death, Fontán was the president and publisher of Nueva Revista de Política, Cultura y Arte, a bimonthly news magazine, which he founded in 1990. The International Press Institute (IPI) has named him one of the "Heroes of Press Freedom."