Rodrigo Rato turns 75: his new ‘yogi’ and supportive life with his wife while he awaits a new trial

He descended from heaven to hell and, now, welcomes the age of 75 observing life at a midpoint. Rodrigo Rato, who was vice president of the Government of José María Aznar, celebrates his birthday this Monday, March 18. And he does it from the place where eight years ago they took him from his house to put him in a police van, head down, to take him to prison. Now, after serving a sentence between 2018 and 2021 for the Caja Madrid black card scandal, He enjoys a quiet, family life and is dedicated to his hobbies. Yes, waiting for a new trial.

The former regent of the International Monetary Fund, a position he left in 2007 “for personal reasons”, has gone from being one of the most powerful men in Spain to silently fighting against his demons due to his problems with justice. Based in his 300 square meter apartment on Don Ramón de la Cruz street, in the heart of the Madrid neighborhood of Salamanca, he now focuses his attention on, among other things, in helping the disadvantaged in the Ave María soup kitchen, in Lavapiésalong with Father Paulino Alonso, who runs the institution and is also chaplain of the Soto del Real prison, where they became good friends.

Yoga, golf and life in the mountains with his wife

However, beyond that Rato also clears up by practicing yoga y passing by the Moraleja Club to enjoy one of his great hobbies with his friends: golf. With his wife, the journalist Alicia González Vicente, remains married since they said ‘I do’ in September 2015, just two weeks before being arrested. He began dating the communicator, 18 years younger than him, after divorcing Gela, the mother of his children Ángeles, Rodrigo and Ana. Likewise, both maintain a good relationship, which she always made clear by only having good words for him. despite his imprisonment.

Rato usually spends time with Alicia in Navafría (Segovia), where the communicator has a nice house where they stay when they want to take walks in the mountains, go jogging or simply be quiet away from the noise of the capital. Perhaps there they came up with the idea of ​​writing a book together, which was published in May of last year. under the name So far we have comereviews the downward trajectory of its creator, in “the epicenter of what was one of the largest political earthquakes in the recent history of Spain.”

The tragic death of his sister

Parallel to the darkening of his image, the former Asturian politician He experienced two misfortunes that marked him forever on a personal level.. His older brother, Ramón, died in 2020 of a massive heart attack, while his sister, the only one he had left, died by choking in a restaurant two years later.

Anti-corruption calls for 70 years in prison

Rato’s judicial record does not only include the black card case, as he went to the bench again for his controversial management as president of Bankia, although this time he was acquitted. He was later accused of alleged laundering and hiding his fortune abroad, so the ghost of prison once again hovers over the former leader of the Popular Party. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office requests 70 years in prison for him.

Graduate in Law from the Complutense University of Madrid and Master in Business Administration from the University of California (Berkeley), Rato began his political career in 1979 in Alianza Popular (AP), a formation for which he was deputy for Cádiz after the 1982 legislative elections, and deputy general secretary between 1983 and 1989.