Rosa Morena and the cultural shifts of late Francoism

The historical performance of María Otilia Pulgarín, known artistically as Rosa Morena, serves as a cultural touchstone from the waning years of the Franco dictatorship in Spain. Performing on the TVE program ‘A su aire’ in 1974, her appearance before paratroopers at the Alcalá de Henares base drew intense criticism from ultra-conservative sectors of the regime, who labeled the public broadcaster “pornographic” due to her stage presence.

This era of Spanish television was marked by brief moments of cultural shift amidst political tension, occurring shortly after the assassination of Carrero Blanco and just before the Carnation Revolution in neighboring Portugal. The program ‘A su aire’ eventually faced censorship following the announcement of Catalan singer Lluís Llach as a performer.