For the first time, a woman, the State lawyer, María Dolores Ocaña, will occupy a high position in the organizational chart of the King’s House as head of Queen Letizia’s secretariat, in practice her right hand. José Zuleta, a career military man, who until now has held the position, is leaving his duties, as reported this Friday by the Zarzuela palace. Zuleta (Melilla, 1960), soldier and Duke of Abrantes, had been in the King’s House for more than thirty years where he held positions in the Royal Guard, in the Military Quarter and in the Protocol Unit, before being named head of the Secretariat of the Princess of Asturias and since 2014, Queen Letizia. Along with Zuleta, two other historical and equally career military men leave the King’s House, Isaías Peral (Palencia, 1953), head of the Administration, Infrastructure and Services Unit, and Emilio Tomé (Madrid, 1953), head of the Cabinet of Planning and Coordination.
The changes occur a month after the appointment of Camilo Villarino as head of the King’s Household, and within the powers of Felipe VI who, article 65.2 of the Constitution, empowers to freely appoint and relieve civil and military members of the King’s House. In the case of Peral and Tomé, both have exceeded retirement age and in Zuleta’s case, the replacement occurs with the aim of introducing women to positions of responsibility at the Zarzuela. To date, the only woman with a relevant position was the intervener, Beatriz Rodríguez Alcobendas, 52 years old.
María Dolores Ocaña Madrid was, until now, head of the State Attorney’s Office in the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, with Minister Pilar Alegría, after being Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with Minister Luis Planas. Previously, she worked as a State lawyer, in Zamora, in the Contentious-Administrative courts of the National Court and in the Government delegation in Madrid.
As reported by La Zarzuela, the replacements in various departments dependent on the General Secretariat will take place on the 30th of this month of April. Emilio Tomé, head of the Coordination and Planning Cabinet, José Zuleta, head of the Queen’s Secretariat and Isaías Peral, head of Administration, Infrastructure and Services, have been in Zarzuela for more than 30 years, collaborating very prominently in the renovation and modernization processes of the King’s House.
The head of the Queen’s Secretariat, headed by José Manuel Zuleta y Alejandro, will be occupied by María Dolores Ocaña Madrid, State lawyer, while the head of the Coordination and Planning Cabinet, which is currently in charge of Emilio Tomé de la Vega, will fall to Major General Juan Carlos González Díez. In the coming days, the replacement of Isaías Peral Puebla as head of the Head of Administration, Infrastructure and Services will also be finalized.
