La Santa María del aire: El vuelo trasatlántico del Plus Ultra (Palos-Buenos Aires, 1926), preludio a una reconquista espiritual de América

Abstract

The transatlantic flight of the Plus Ultra, undertaken between Spain and Argentina in 1926, provides the starting-point for an examination of the shift in Primo de Rivera’s foreign policy towards Latin America. This paper considers the rich symbolism embodied by this voyage, which has parallels in the carabelas of Columbus and the rebirth of the “Spanish Raza”, calling for the peaceful reconquest of the old empire. Based on an analysis of the propaganda and the enormous amount of publicity surrounding the flight, this article also shows how the governments of Spain and Latin America exploited the Hispanoamericanist movement and interrogates the consequences of this new form of diplomacy.