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Common sense is often said to be the least common of the senses. However, Salvador Illa , current minister of health without sanitary training , is characterized by not losing the north. For his work he earns 74,858 euros gross per year in 12 monthly installments. His training as a philosopher and public manager are the pillars that support his modus operandi. He has never been a deputy, but four months ago he was the chosen one. Everything seemed calm until the tsunami came. The coronavirus is testing you. His friend, first secretary of the PSC and deputy in the Parliament of Catalonia, Miquel Iceta, confesses exclusively to LOC that "he is maintaining a serene, rigorous and sober attitude in gestures and words that helps to convey a certain tranquility, serenity and rigor. A crisis like this overwhelms the most painted".

And it is overwhelmed. The medical unions, the nurses' colleges and the Independent Trade Union and Official Central (CSIF) have filed a complaint against him before the Supreme Court for allowing the use of defective masks and endangering the health of health personnel.

At 53, Illa was until recently a great unknown to the Spanish population. Between 1995 and 2005 he was elected mayor of his town, Roca del Vallés (Barcelona), after the death of Romà Planas, Josep Tarradellas' right hand man , who discovered him and got him into politics. In short, his Pygmalion. During their tenure at the town hall, the merchants in the area expressed their discomfort because they feared that the construction of La Roca Village, an outlet for luxury brands, would lead them to closure. After listening to everyone, he approved the project and over time everyone applauded his decision as the area captured thousands of new clients.

Behind the door of his office is a simple man, "without skeletons in his closet" -said a member of the PSC- and with a benevolent character: "He is contained in his emotions, discreet, measured, pragmatic, realistic, disciplined, punctual, very respectful of others' time. He makes decisions once he has listened to people and it is not self-centered, " says Iceta. And he adds: "If he has to tell you something, he does it in private so as not to expose yourself in front of others."

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A prestigious Barcelona public relations who met Illa when he was Jaume Collboni's chief of staff, only compliments the minister: "He is very affable, hard-working, dialoguing, close, down to earth, sincere, he looks at you eyes when it comes to speaking, he knows how to listen and he doesn't give you the reason like fools ".

He is such an austere man that he has been driving the same car for years, he enjoys picking vegetables in his father's garden and plays with his two dogs on the large plot of his house. That simplicity also prevails in his diet: "He loves to eat well, but moderately. He is a fan of traditional foods, he likes meat stews, spoon dishes, escudella and meat . In fact, we usually go to a restaurant Argentinean who is close to the game. But every now and then I drag him to other types of restaurants because I love Japanese and Italian cuisine, although he likes us more, "says Iceta.

It is not whining and its motto is "when there is dancing, I dance." Due to family tradition, he is from Espanyol , and that gives character, since in Catalonia the power of Barça is very great. He is not in favor of independence or amnesty , making him a key man for Sánchez in the process. In his spare time he reads history books and political essays in Spanish, Catalan and English; He rereads the Greek and Latin classics and is passionate about following the global economic debate. Of course, it is from the old school, because you are not passionate about the electronic book. To take off the stress, every morning runs like an hour, on vacation he usually rents a house in the Ampurdán, he swims on the beaches of the Costa Brava and sleeps soundly, although not for many hours.

He has shielded his private life, but a friend confirms that he is married for the second time to Marta Estruch, he has a teenage daughter, two younger brothers (Ramón and José María) and parents, Josep - retired from the Textiles and Embroidery factory in La Roca del Vallés- and María -housewife and owner of a small textile workshop- who gave her unwavering values. He studied at the Escola Pía de Granollers (Barcelona), where his practicing Catholicism was instilled in him, he graduated in Philosophy at the University of Barcelona (1984-1989) and obtained a master's degree in Economics and Business Management at the University of Navarra (1992- 1993). He took advantage of this knowledge to become an associate professor in economic issues at the University of Barcelona and at the Blanquerna School of Communication and International Relations (private area).

A kitkat?

His current wife, Marta Estruch Macías, works at the multinational Nestlé in Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona) where he has carried out different marketing campaigns for products such as KitKat chocolates or Friskies pet food. He has also published articles on food. In Argos magazine he wrote 'Elite Nutrición. Now an optimal diet for cats too. ' Her sister, Susana, is an artist who paints pictures from photos that clients give her once they explain their hobbies and emotions. In these hard times, Marta lives in the Roca del Vallés family home while her husband occupies an apartment in the La Moncloa presidential complex. You cannot travel every weekend to visit them. Those who know him say that sometimes this separation does not go well because he hates that routines disturb him.

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