He has held several assignments in Spain and abroad since joining the Spanish Diplomatic Service in 1974. Before his current appointment he served as Inspector General for Spanish Embassies throughout the world.

From 2000 to 2005 he was Ambassador of Spain to Ireland.
From 1996 to 2000 he served as Chief of Protocol at the Prime Minister’s Office.
From 1993 to 1995 he was posted as Minister at the Embassy of Spain in Washington DC in service of HRH the Prince of Asturias, the heir to the throne of Spain, during his studies in the US.
From 1991 to 1993 he was Vice-president of the Spanish Section of the Hispano-American Committee.
From 1986 to 1991 he was Deputy Permanent Observer of the Spanish Permanent Representation to the OAS in Washington DC.

From 1979 to 1986 he held several positions at the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid. Prior to that he spent 3 years on his first assignment abroad at the Embassy of Spain in Tunisia as Secretary.
Ambassador Pastor holds degrees in Law and International Studies from the Complutense University of Madrid. He speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian. He is married to María Isabel Guzmán Uribe and has two daughters and two sons.

1. When did you arrive in Hungary and what brought you here?
I arrived to Hungary in October 2009 as the newly appointed Ambassador of Spain and presented my Letters of Credence to President László Sólyom on 11 November 2009.

2. Have you ever been an expatriate elsewhere?
Yes. I have worked in Tunisia, in the US twice and Ireland.

3. What surprised you most about Hungary?
I had visited Hungary twice before. This time I found the big changes in Hungary and in Budapest particularly astonishing. It is difficult to find elsewhere such an endearing and beautiful city as the Hungarian capital.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
Always walk around the town. We have different itineraries at the Embassy as possible routes we suggest our visitors. We usually take them to the Opera House or a good concert in the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall in the Palace of Arts. To a nice dinner of course. There is a plenty to do in Budapest.

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Grillezett libamáj Tokajiban or pecsenye kacsamell with a good white wine like a Furmint from Tokaj.

6. What is never missing from your refrigerator?
Different white wines from Hungary and Spain.

7. What is your favourite Hungarian word?
I have several: Isten, szívesen and boldog vagyok!

8. What do you miss the most from home?
I miss my wider family, the sea and the skies of Madrid.

9. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
I love gardening.

10. What's a job you would definitely never want?
IT

11. Where did you spend your last vacation?
In the Basque Country in Northern Spain.

12. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
In the same place and hopefully a long weekend in Menorca.

13. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
The Beatles, High Noon, soccer and basketball.

14. What can’t you resist?
The look of a good human being; a jóságos ember.

15. Red wine or white?
Red and white.

16. Book or movie?
I always have good books around me. I love movies too but only in a proper theater not through the Internet!!

17. Morning person or night person?
I am an all-day person. The service requires it so.

18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
The happiness of the children of the world.

19. Buda side or Pest side?
Pest side. Definitely. I am a Pest person.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Semper amicus fidelis.