 Once the crisis period faded away the group retained dynamics; in 1983 MAPFRE became market leader on the Spanish insurance market.Already in 1969 Larramendi ensured the decision to commence expansion beyond Spain; though various directions were considered, from the onset he had his sights set on Latin America.In the early 1970s the company, by means of Editorial MAPFRE, embarked on public relations campaign, while Larramendi used to tour the continent himself; he made sure that Argentina was the most promising market and Colombia was the "mas españolista" country.