The teacher of UNEATLANTICO, Jesús Espinosa, intervened in RTVE’s Cantabria regional news program to give visibility to women with relevant careers but, at the same time, generally unknown to the Cantabrian society.
As a prelude to International Women’s Day, TeleCantabria has dedicated a space to learn more about the lives of some women, little known in relation to their lives. Jesús Espinosa, on the other hand, has collaborated with the program doing a previous research and documentation work, which has served for the development of this short report, which will also be broadcast on Canal 24 horas of TVE.
The piece was dedicated to Marina Vega de la Iglesia (1923-2011), born in Castro de Urdiales and raised during her childhood in Torrelavega. She was a spy and agent of the French Resistance. She is the only woman who formally belonged to the Spanish network in the service of the French Resistance, specifically the Free French Forces (FFL) and Base Spagna. In the context of World War II, when part of France was occupied by Nazi Germany, she played an active role in espionage activities. During Franco’s dictatorship, she contributed to the organization of strikes and protests, being imprisoned on several occasions.
As the professor of the Universidad Europea del Atlántico explained, she was the daughter of Republican parents, who were repressed during the Civil War, and joined the army at a very young age, only 17 years old. Across the Spanish-French border, between 1942 and 1944, she helped transport French Jews fleeing the Vichy regime and Nazism. She saved hundreds of lives and, later, once France was liberated from Nazi occupation, she actively collaborated in locating and denouncing Nazis and collaborators who fled to Spain.
In reward for her services in the fight against Nazism, the French State awarded her the prestigious French Resistance Medal. She was also honored by the European Parliament for her defense of freedom.
Espinosa also commented that the character Lola Mendieta, from the TV series El Ministerio del Tiempo (The Ministry of Time), is inspired by the exciting life of Marina Vega, a life journey marked by the anti-fascist struggle and commitment to democracy.
Professor Espinosa’s participation can be seen in the following link to the program, starting at minute 12:50.
Intervention of Jesús Espinoza in RTVE.