Madrid Barajas Airport to be renamed in honor of former PM Suárez
Ministry agrees to government request after death of man considered father of Spanish democracy
The Public Works Ministry announced on Monday that it has approved a request by the government to rename Madrid Barajas Airport in honor of former Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez, who died on Sunday.
“Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez played a vital role in the history of Spain,” said the ministry on Monday via a press release. “His moral stature and his commitment to the state were key elements to the success of the Spanish Transition and democracy. His work was essential for the culmination of one of the biggest achievements of Spain as a country: the 1978 Spanish Constitution.
“To honor his memory, expressions of recognition and respect for the historical role of the first prime minister of our democracy are obligatory,” the statement continued.
Before the announcement was made, Madrid Mayor Ana Botella said she was sure that Madrileños would be “happy” with the change, given that Barajas is an “emblematic” place for the capital and for Spain. The renaming will see Suárez become the second Spaniard to give his name to an airport, after the Granada-Jaén airport in 2006 took the name of poet Federico García Lorca, who was killed in the Spanish Civil War.
