Spanish govt chides ex-king for failure to explain conduct

MADRID (AP) — A senior Spanish government official has rebuked Spain’s former king, saying Juan Carlos I should have used his first trip home from exile to clear the air over investigations into his financial affairs. Government spokeswoman Isabel Rodríguez said the ex-monarch “missed an opportunity” to “provide explanations and ask for forgiveness.” Juan Carlos’s conduct in recent years had been “neither ethical nor exemplary,” she said in an interview with Spanish public radio RNE. On the other hand, she repeated the Socialist-led coalition government’s support for Juan Carlos’ son and current monarch, Felipe VI, for his efforts to increase financial transparency at the royal household.