“Americanos, vienen a España guapos y sanos”: “Deviant” Migrations in Francoist Madrid

Abstract

During the Francoist regime, Madrid experienced a constant flow of migration. While these migratory movements were primarily internal, the city also witnessed a gradual increase in foreign population settling in, consuming, and working. This article delves into the presence of American residents in the Spanish capital using “sexual deviancy” records from the Vagrants and Criminals archive (1954-1970). A comparative analysis of these files reveals a significant difference in the experiences of individuals from Latin American countries compared to those holding a passport from the United States or Canada. Therefore, the Francoist justice system operated not only according to class criteria but also as a distinctly colonial justice.