Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Subsecretario de Asuntos Exteriores
Coat of arms of Spain
Incumbent
Xavier Martí Martí
since 28 August 2024
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Undersecretariat of Foreign Affairs
StyleThe Most Excellent (formal)
Mr. Under-Secretary (informal)
NominatorThe Foreign Minister
AppointerThe Monarch
Formation16 June 1834 (16 June 1834)
First holderAndrés Villalba
Websiteexteriores.gob.es

The under-secretary of foreign affairs, called in the past under-secretary of state, is a government official within the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for assisting the minister in the daily management of the department. In this regard, the under-secretary supervises the department's policies concerning legal and consular assistance, human resources, protocol, budget and training of new diplomats. As responsible for human resources, the under-secretary is the head of the Diplomatic Service and has the rank and honors of ambassador.[1] It is appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the foreign minister.

Until the establishment of the position of secretary of state for foreign affairs in 1979, the under-secretary was second-in-command to the minister, having political responsibilities. Nowadays, it is a technical position, held by a diplomat or a senior civil servant. This position is comparable to the permanent secretary in some countries or the Under Secretary of State for Management in the United States.

The under-secretary is the chancellor of the Ministry's orders: the Order of Isabella the Catholic and the Order of Civil Merit.

History

The office of under-secretary was established by Royal Decree of Maria Christina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, The Queen Regent, of 16 June 1834. This norm created the position for all government departments in order to assist and lighten the minister's workload.[2] On June 26, Andrés Villalba, introducer of ambassadors, was appointed the first under-secretary of the Ministry of State.[3]

For much of its history, the Undersecretariat has been structured around two sections: one for Policy and another for Trade and Consulates. Over time, these two sections were divided and specialized by subject. By the end of the 19th century, we can find up to eleven different sections, some dedicated to foreign policy (Europe; the Americas; Asia, Africa and Oceania; Trade; and Pious Work) and others to technical and administrative matters (Accounting, Chancellery, Consulates, Archives, etc.).[4]

In the 1930s the sections were renamed as directorates-general and the political ones were directly attached to the minister, although, as the second highest ranking official, the under-secretary continued to act as coordinator of the rest of the department's senior officials. The creation of the secretariats of state —foreign affaris, European Union and international cooperation— between the 1970s and the 1980s relegated this officer to a mere internal affairs manager.

Organization

The Undersecretariat is organized as follows:[5]

Undersecretariat Organization (2026)
Under-Secretary Technical Cabinet
Inspectorate-General of Services
Budget Office
International Legal Advice Office
Diplomatic School
Pious Work of the Holy Places
Office for the Protection of Classified Information
Introducer of Ambassadors Deputy Directorate-General for Trips, Official Visits, Ceremonial and Orders
Deputy Directorate-General for Chancellery
Technical Secretary-General Deputy Technical Secretary-General
Deputy Directorate-General for Institutional Relations and Regional Collaboration
Deputy Directorate-General for Treaties and Other International Agreements
Division for Appeals and Relations with the Courts
Language Interpretation Office
Directorate-General for the
Foreign Service 		Administrative Office
Deputy Directorate-General for Personnel
Deputy Directorate-General for Financial Administration
Deputy Directorate-General for Properties
Deputy Directorate-General for IT, Communications and Networks
Division for Control and Management Improvement
Directorate-General for Spaniards Abroad
and Consular Affairs 		Deputy Directorate-General for Consular Protection and Assistance
Deputy Directorate-General for Consular Legal Affairs
Deputy Directorate-General for Visas and Travel Documents
Division for Consular Emergencies

List of under-secretaries

Since 1834, these has been the people who served as under-secretaries:[6]

Under-Secretary Term Under-Secretary Term
1 Andrés Villalba 1834 – 1835 53 Eugenio Ferraz y Alcalá Galiano 1913 – 1918
2 Julián Villalba 1835 – 1836 - Juan Pérez-Caballero y Ferrer 1918 – 1919
- Gabriel José García, a.i. 1836 – 1838 54 Emilio de Palacios y Fau 1919 – 1923
- Julián Villalba, a.i. 1838 – 1839 55 Fernando Espinosa de los Monteros 1923 – 1927
- José García Pérez de Castro, a.i. 1839 – 1840 56 Bernardo Almeida y Herreros 1927 – 1929
3 Hipólito de los Hoyos 1840 – 1843 57 Emilio de Palacios y Fau 1929 – 1930
4 Francisco María Martín 1843 – 1846 58 Domingo de las Bárcenas 1930 – 1931
5 The Count of San Luis 1846 59 Francisco Agramonte Cortijo 1931 – 1932
6 Antonio Caballero 1846 – 1851 60 Justo Gómez Ocerín 1932 – 1933
7 Luis López de la Torre Ayllón y Kirsmacker 1851 61 Antonio de la Cruz Marín 1933
8 Antonio Riquelme 1851 – 1853 62 Manuel Aguirre de Cárcer
9 Antonio Caballero 1853 – 1854 63 José María Doussinague 1933 – 1934
10 Juan Antoine y Zayas 1854 – 1855 64 José María Aguinaga y Barona 1934 – 1936
- Jacinto Albístur, a.i. 1855 65 Rafael de Ureña y Sanz 1936
- Miguel de los Santos Álvarez, a.i. 1855 – 1856 - Valeriano Casanueva Picazo[a] 1936 – 1937
11 Augusto Ulloa y Castañón 1856 - Alfredo Nistal Martínez[a] 1937
- Tomás Ligués, a.i. - Carlos Esplá[a] 1937 – 1938
12 The Marquess of Valmar 1856 – 1857 - José Quero Morales[a] 1938
13 Juan Tomás Comyn 1857 – 1862 - Pablo de Tremoya y Alzaga[a]
14 Tomás Ligués 1863 – 1864 - Eugenio Espinosa de los Monteros[b] 1938 – 1939
15 Miguel de los Santos Bañuelos 1864 – 1865 - José Quero Morales[a]
16 The Count of Casa Valencia 1865 – 1866 - Domingo de las Bárcenas[b] 1939
17 Facundo Goñi 1866 – 1867 66 Juan Peche y Cabeza de Vaca 1939 – 1941
18 Rafael Jabat Hernández de Alba 1867 – 1868 67 José Pan de Soraluce y Español 1941 – 1944
19 The Count of Xiquena 1868 68 Cristóbal del Castillo y Campos 1944 – 1945
20 Juan Valera y Alcalá-Galiano 1868 – 1869 69 Tomás Suñer Ferrer 1945 – 1947
21 Eduardo Gasset y Artime 1869 – 1870 70 The Count of Casa Miranda 1947 – 1951
22 Bonifacio de Blas y Muñoz 1870 – 1871 71 The Count of Navasqüés 1951 – 1955
23 Pío Gullón 1871 – 1872 72 The Marquess consort of Santa Cruz 1955 –1958
24 Manuel Merelo y Calvo 1872 – 1873 73 Pedro Cortina Mauri 1958 – 1966
25 Miguel Morayta y Sagrario 1873 74 Germán Burriel Rodríguez 1966 – 1968
26 Tomás Rodríguez Pinilla 75 Gonzalo Fernández de la Mora 1970
27 Melchor Almagro Díaz 1873 – 1874 76 Gabriel Fernández Valderrama 1970 – 1974
28 Pío Gullón 1874 – 1875 77 Juan José Rovira 1974 – 1975
29 Cayo Quiñones de León 1875 78 The Marquess of Oreja 1975 – 1976
30 Rafael Ferraz 1875 – 1881 79 Miguel Solano Aza 1976 – 1978
- Jacobo Prendergast y Gorgón, a.i. 1881 80 José Joaquín Puig de la Bellacasa 1978 – 1980
31 Felipe Méndez de Vigo 1881 – 1883 81 Joaquín Ortega Salinas 1980 – 1982
32 José Gutiérrez de Agüera 1883 – 1884 82 Leoncio Gonzalo Puente Ojea 1982 – 1985
33 Rafael Ferraz 1884 – 1885 83 Fernando Perpiñá-Robert Peyra 1985 – 1988
34 José Gutiérrez de Agüera 1885 – 1888 84 Inocencio Arias 1988 – 1991
35 Francisco Rafael Figuera 1888 – 1889 85 Máximo Cajal López 1991 – 1994
36 José Fernández Jiménez 1889 – 1890 86 Jesús Ezquerra Calvo 1994 – 1996
37 Rafael Ferraz 1890 – 1892 87 José de Carvajal Salido 1996 – 2000
38 José Fernández Jiménez 1892 – 1893 88 Carlos Carderera Soler 2000 – 2002
- José Gutiérrez de Agüera, a.i. 1893 89 José Pedro Sebastián de Erice[7] 2002 – 2003
39 Joaquín Valera y Aceituno 1893 – 1894 90 María Victoria Morera[8] 2003 – 2004
40 The Marquess of Villa-Urrutia 1894 – 1895 91 Luis Calvo Merino[9] 2004 – 2007
41 Rafael Ferraz 1895 – 1897 92 María Jesús Figa[10] 2007 – 2010
42 José Gutiérrez de Agüera 1897 – 1898 93 Antonio López Martínez[11] 2010 – 2012
43 Luis Polo de Bernabé 1898 – 1899 94 Rafael Mendívil Peydro[12] 2012 – 2014
44 The Duke of Arcos 1899 95 Cristóbal González-Aller Jurado[13] 2014 – 2017
45 Enrique Dupuy de Lóme y Paulín 1899 – 1900 96 Beatriz Larrotcha Palma[14] 2017 – 2018
46 Juan Pérez-Caballero y Ferrer 1900 – 1903 97 Ángeles Moreno Bau[15] 2018 – 2020
47 Antonio de Castro y Casaléiz 1903 – 1905 98 María Celsa Nuño García[16] 2020 – 2021
48 Emilio de Ojeda y Perpiñán 1905 – 1906 99 Luis Manuel Cuesta Civís[17] 2021 – 2024
49 Julio de Arellano y Arróspide 1906 – 1907 100 Xavier Martí Martí[18] Since 2024
50 The Marquess of Herrera 1907 – 1909
51 Ramón Piña y Millet 1909 – 1911
52 Manuel González-Hontoria 1911 – 1913

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Under-Secretary of the Republican Ministry of State
  2. ^ a b Under-Secretary of the Rebel Ministry of State.

References

  1. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (24 July 1955). "Decreto de 15 de julio de 1955 por el que aprueba el Reglamento Orgánico de la Carrera Diplomática" [Decree of July 15, 1955, approving the Organic Regulations of the Diplomatic Career.]. Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  2. ^ Office of the Prime Minister (2 July 1834). "Royal Decree of 16 June 1834 creating the position of under-secretary in all the ministries" (PDF). Gaceta de Madrid (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  3. ^ Office of the Prime Minister (2 July 1834). "Royal Decree of 26 June 1834 appointing Andrés Villalba, introducer of ambassadors, as Under-Secretary of State" (PDF). Gaceta de Madrid (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  4. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (27 September 1888). "Royal Decree of September 25, 1888, reorganizing the Ministry of State" (PDF). Gaceta de Madrid (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  5. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (29 November 2024). "Real Decreto 1184/2024, de 28 de noviembre, por el que se desarrolla la estructura orgánica básica del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación" [Royal Decree 1184/2024, of November 28, which develops the basic organic structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.]. Official State Gazette (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  6. ^ Ochoa Brun, Miguel Ángel (2000). "History of the Spanish Diplomacy - DIPLOMATIC REPERTOIRE- CHRONOLOGICAL LISTS OF REPRESENTATIVES - From the Early Middle Ages to the year 2000" (PDF). www.exteriores.gob.es (in Spanish). pp. 297–300. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  7. ^ Miguel, Ramón de (10 May 2020). "José Pedro Sebastián de Erice, un hombre bueno en la diplomacia y la empresa". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  8. ^ Egurbide, Peru (31 May 2003). "Palacio sustituye al subsecretario de Exteriores por su jefa de gabinete". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  9. ^ EFE (16 July 2011). "El malagueño Luis Calvo Merino, nombrado embajador en Suecia". Diario Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  10. ^ Press, Europa (26 October 2007). "España.- El Gobierno designa nuevos embajadores en Italia, Bélgica, Colombia, Lituania, Guinea y Omán". www.europapress.es. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  11. ^ González, Miguel (10 September 2010). "Moratinos aborda la segunda oleada de cambios en Exteriores". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  12. ^ "El diplomático Rafael Mendívil será el subsecretario de Asuntos Exteriores". Diario ABC (in Spanish). 4 January 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Margallo cambia de subsecretario y nombra a once nuevos embajadores". Diario ABC (in Spanish). 7 June 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  14. ^ "Exteriores nombra subsecretaria a Beatriz Larrotcha y embajadores en Austria, Bolivia, Grecia y ante la ONU en Ginebra". El Periódico (in Spanish). 21 July 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  15. ^ Press, Europa (13 July 2018). "Borrell completa la renovación de la cúpula de Exteriores nombrando subsecretaria a Ángeles Moreno". www.europapress.es. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  16. ^ Abellán, Lucía (25 May 2020). "González Laya completa el equipo de Exteriores con una nueva subsecretaria". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  17. ^ González, Miguel (27 July 2021). "Un diplomático y ex alto cargo de Defensa, nuevo subsecretario de Exteriores". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  18. ^ Periódico, El (27 August 2024). "El diplomático Xavier Martí, nuevo subsecretario del Ministerio de Exteriores". El Periódico (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 October 2025.


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