A law dated 2 November 1940, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on 7 November, gave birth to the organ.[1][2] The text, that put Spain as the "spiritual axis of the hispanic world, with title of preeminency in regards to the universal concerns", made a passing mention in the articles to the possibility, unattainable in the short term, of a some kind of political union (Art. #2), a feature characteristic of the falangist ideology.[3] Two months later, the composition of the Council was decided and, in April 1941, the bylaw of the organization was passed.[4] These later regulations also attenuated the imperialist whims present at the Law.[5] The membership included public officials, military personnel, falangist leaders, religious figures and right-wing intellectuals, amounting for 74 councillors.[6][n. 1]
Until the creation of the Council of the Hispanidad, the issues related to Hispanic America were under the control of the Falange Exterior,[9] organ of FET y de las JONS charged with the action of the party abroad. Later, the Service of the Falange Exterior maintained a pre-eminent role in the propaganda in Hispanic America.[10]
^The correspondent order in the Boletín Oficial del Estado established as default members the officiales holding the following offices: minister of Foreign Affairs, Director of the Archivo de Indias, the National Felegate of the Exterior Service of de F.E.T. y de las J.O.N.S (then Felipe Ximénez de Sandoval, double appointment),[7] the Subsecretary of Foreign Affairs (then Juan Peche y Cabeza de Vaca),[7] the Chief of the Section of Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (then the marquis of Auñón),[7] the Subsecretary of Press and Propaganda (then Antonio Tovar, double appointment),[7] Subsecretary of Commerce, Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Navy, the Director General of Maritime Communications, the National Delegate of the Feminine Section of Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS (then Pilar Primo de Rivera, double appointment),[7] the National Delegate of the Frente de las Juventudes (then Sancho Dávila y Fernández de Celis),[7] the President of the Institute of Political Studies (then Alfonso García Valdecasas),[7] the National Delegate of Press and Propaganda of FET y de las JONS (then Ramón Serrano Suñer),[7] the Spanish ambassadors to Argentina, Cuba, Chile, Mexico and Peru, the consul general in the Philippines (then José Castaño),[7] the Prior of the Convent of Dominicans of San Esteban in Salamanca, and the Prior of the Convent of La Rábida.