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Juan Carlos I headlines: "I hope they forgive me and the Spanish understand what I have done."

The emeritus king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, has given his first interview on French public television, in which he refused to repent of his mistakes, defended his constitutional legacy, apologized to the Spanish and called Philip VI a "good king."

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Juan Carlos I, in a stock image. Photo: EFE

The emeritus king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, has appeared in a long interview in France 3 to review his life and address some of the most controversial passages of his career. The interview in Abu Dhabi revolves around his new biography, which will be published in Spanish next week.

Among the anecdotes he remembers, he explains that he received the Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet at Madrid airport and that he suggested that he "do as Francodid. "Juan Carlos replies in the documentary that he then replied yes, but then" did what the Spaniards wanted. "He adds that Franco never asked him directly to maintain the regime and that, in his agony, he only asked him to keep" Spain united. "

He has not repented of anything: he answers "no" when asked whether he has repentance or repentance.

He has defended his legacy: he says that his greatest pride is the 1978 Constitution and that "it served Spain and the Spanish".

He apologizes to the citizens. He expects the Spanish to "understand what they have done" and forgive him.

He misses Spain: after five years in Abu Dhabi, he says he misses "bulls, flamenco and Spanish life."

His relationship with Franco is that the dictator only asked him to keep Spain "united" and did not demand that he continue the regime.

Pinochet in Madrid:He says that the Chilean dictator  suggested that he "do the same as Franco" and that at first he said yes.

His scandal: he says everything is "fixed" and lives "quiet" after closing tax cases.

Philip VI is a "good king": he says his son is at a difficult political moment and must be "protected".

Desire to return: He has assured that he will return to Spain "when the conditions are met".

The emeritus does not specify his flaws, nor does he show regret when asked directly by the journalist. "No," he replies if he regrets. "No," he says when asked if he feels sorry. He says that all fiscal issues are resolved and that he lives "quietly" , but that his problems were solved because it was inviolable, because they were prescribed or because he paid about four million euros before reporting that it was too late to avoid sanctions.

Juan Carlos admits that he misses Spain after five years in Abu Dhabi. What does he remember? Bulls, flamenco and life in his country, as he sums it up. He argues that he modernized Spain during his time as head of state and says that "he cannot be asked to modernize tastes."

Emeritus says he will come back when "conditions" are given , and he says his greatest pride is the 1978 Constitution. He stresses that in the Transition no power was reserved for him because "one makes a democracy or one does not."

He has also highlighted the work of Philip VI, who has described him as a "good king" . He has pointed out that his visit to the United Arab Emirates responded to his willingness not to enter the reign of his son and has called for support for the present monarch at a political moment that he considers "difficult in all countries".

The book is entitled Reconciliación and, in this regard, Juan Carlos I has given the last message: he has apologized to the Spaniards and expressed his desire to "understand what he has done." He says he has no regrets, but he is confident that one day the citizens will forgive him.

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