José Luis Martinez-Almeida Navasqüés, mayor of Madrid since 2019, is one of the most recognized political figures in Spain. He was also a spokesperson for the Popular Party among 2020 and 2022. Almeida was born in April 1975 in Madrid, where he grew up. He graduated in RIGHT in 1998 and joined the Corps of State lawyers in 2001 he practiced in Girona, Toledo, Madrid and at the Superior Court of Justice until 2007.
Almeida is the youngest of six siblings and the grandson of two state attorneys. His father, Pablo Martínez-Almeida, belonged to the Privy Council of Juan de Bourbon, Count of Barcelona and father of Juan Carlos Yo. The mayor’s maternal grandfather, José Luis Navasqüés, also owned Studios Chamartín, which produced, among other hits, Marcellin, bread and winea film which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1955.
How old is José Luis Martínez-Almeida?
Almeida was born on the 1stApril 7, 1975 (49 years old), in Madrid. He is the youngest of six children of Rafael Martínez-Almeida y León y Castillo and Ángela Navasqües Cobián, who was president of the Spanish Confederation of Alumni of Catholic Education. It was his mother who passed on his interest in politics to Almeida. The mayor has three sisters and two older brothers.
How tall is Almeida?
José Luis Martínez-Almeida then dispelled doubts about his height, and he did so, demonstrating once again his characteristic sense of humor. Although it is obvious that the mayor is not a giant, I do not hesitate to correct an erroneous fact that journalist Maite Rico gave in her opinion column in The world. The columnist, in a review of musician James Rhodes, assured: “Of course he can make fun of the 1.63 of the mayor of Madrid. Almeida, through a publication on his social networks, was quick to respond and correct the error: “Respect, mido 1.64″.
What did Almeida study?
José Luis Martínez Almeida entered law at the Faculty of Law of ICADE, belonging to the Pontifical University of Comillas, in 1993 and graduated in 1998. In 2001 he passed the opposition to access the Body of The lawyers of State, job he held until 2007. That year, his political career received a boost when he joined the government of Community of Madrid as Director General of Historical Heritage, a position he held until 2011.
Later he became secretary of the Government Council of the Community of Madrid within the Autonomous Executive of Esperanza Aguirre until 2013. That year, he left his position to join the General Secretariat and the Council of the National Company for Industrial Participations and Business Development (Sepides). In 2014, he became director of the institutional legal division of the Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF).
It was only in 2015 that he arrived at Madrid City Hall as a councilor of the Popular Party during the mandate of Manuela Carmena at the head of the Consistory, until 2019. Almeida was spokesperson for the Municipal Group of popular between 2017 and 2019, when he ran for office and regained control of the municipal government for the PP.
Where José Luis Martínez-Almeida lives
Martinez-Almeida lives with his wife, Therese Urquijo, whom she married on April 6. The couple resides in Street of the poet Joan Maragallformerly known as Capitán Haya, parallel to Madrid’s Paseo de la Castellana and close to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. The mayor already lived in this 100 square meter property before getting married. Almeida bought the house when he was general director of Historical Heritage of the Community and its value is estimated at 165,693 euros, according to the transparency portal of the Madrid City Hall. Furthermore, on the same portal, he declared owning part of another property, valued at 252,111 euros and a garage 14,190 euros. Both properties are inherited.
Teresa Urquijo: she is Almeida’s wife
José Luis Martínez-Almeida and Teresa Urquijo They got married on April 6, 2024 in one of the most anticipated weddings of the year. More than 500 guests attended the event, including some of Spain’s most renowned politicians and several members of the family of King Felipe VI. And Almeida is not linked to the royal family only through his paternal grandfather. Teresa Urquijo is the granddaughter of Therese of Bourboncousin of Juan Carlos I. Additionally, her father is Lucas Urquijo Fernández de Araoz, great-grandson of the doctor, scientist and writer Gregorio Marañón.
Urquijo was born in Madrid in October 1996 and studied law and business administration in ICADE, just like Almeida. The mayor’s wife devotes herself to analyzing investments. He works at Merlin Properties, a listed real estate investment company BOUQUET 35. He went through companies like J.P. Morgan and Globe Telecom.