HIS LIFE
His Friends
On one occasion, a journalist1 asked Luis Valls: “What do you specifically believe in?” “I believe in friends,” was his answer. He had many. This comes as no surprise to those who knew Luis Valls closely. He was a kind, elegant, humanly attractive, and he an enviable position; moreover, he was not involved in any scandals and he was powerful… Who wouldn’t want to be his friend? Nevertheless, as a professional who dealt with others, Luis Valls did not have only friends. He had, above all, best friends. Why? Simple: he treated each friend as if they were the only one.
Banking Friends
He sought to maintain good relations with all his colleagues in the financial world. He saw it as a matter of courtesy but did it gladly, without effort. He had an especially good relationship with Alfonso Escámez. They considered each other good friends and took each other’s advice. Even after Escámez was no longer the president of Banco Central, Luis Valls continued to visit his house for a paella that Escámez himself prepared and, as long as his physical condition allowed, to play a game of frontón. If the weather was fine, he loved the outdoor after-lunch conversation and would stay chatting for a long time.
Friends on His Team
In Banco Popular, there were advisors and executives with whom he had good personal relationships. Many, such as Francisco Aparicio, José Ramón Rodríguez, or Miguel Nigorra were close friends.
Friends in Opus Dei
Another great friend of Luis Valls was Juan Francisco Montuenga, the administrator of Opus Dei in Spain. Every summer, he organized work sessions interspersed with group excursions along with other friends like Alberto Ullastres, José María Arana, and the philosopher Jesús Arellano.
Friends in Politics?
Yes. In politics, Luis Valls also had people with whom he got along very well. For example, Luis Solana of the socialist party PSOE, who, on his death, dedicated a heartfelt tribute in an obituary article where he pleaded: “Luis Valls, can you be repeated?2” and demonstrated that their friendship was not just for show.
In the article, he said: “Luis Valls was the manager of a great bank but he was also very attentive to his country’s politics; blending these things two worlds requires a lot of skill. Here lies, for me, the greatness of Luis Valls. From those distant days of the first credits to the party, I have enjoyed Luis Valls’s friendship until his passing away.” And he concluded by saying: “Surely there will be a certain feeling of orphanhood at Banco Popular. Don’t be discouraged, strive to be like Luis Valls.” He also had good friendships in the labor unions, one especial friend was Antonio Gutiérrez of he communist led union CCOO, of whom he even had a dedicated photo in his office.
Other Friends
He also made good friends in his projects of social action. Such is the case of Tío Alberto, the founder of the Ciudad de los Muchachos (CEMU) in Leganés, a project that Luis Valls supported from the beginning. Through the foundations he promoted. He granted them soft financing for the construction of the small city that was a family home and school for young people in difficult situations. When Luis Valls died, no obituaries were published. However, some journalists discovered that he had died and announced it on the radio. Those who were by his side in his last moments say that, half an hour after the news aired, Tío Alberto and other people from CEMU who had known him were at the vigil. For them, a friend had died.
Bibliography
Interview with Luis Ángel de la Viuda on TVE (02/03/1977). (2) Obituary written by Luis Solana (a Spanish polítician and businessman) entitled “Luis Valls, ¿se puede repetir?” and published in newspaper La Razón (15/03/06).