He had come to be regarded not so much as a man but as an enduring symbol of authoritarianism. At 82, Francisco Franco y Bahamonde, the Caudillo of Spain, had become increasingly secluded, aloof from the people, distant even from his own subordinates. The olive-colored flesh sagged in folds from his face, his palsied right hand trembled continuously, and the speech—once shrill and demanding—was slurred and frequently unintelligible. The figure, barely 5 ft. 3 in. tall, had never been especially heroic, even in a general's uniform decorated with medals, sash and sword; in...
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