Spanish cardinal who spent most of his career in the Roman Curia, first in the Secretariat of State from 1956 to 1975 and from 1979 to 1988, and then leading two of its principal dicasteries: the Congregation for Divine Worship from 1988 to 1992 and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life from 1992 to 2004. 
 
He was made a cardinal in 1988 and held the post of Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church from 1993 to 2007, serving as administrator of the Holy See from the death of Pope John Paul II to the election of Pope Benedict XVI.
Earlier in his career he was the apostolic nuncio to Colombia from 1975 to 1979. Martinez ran afoul of Vatican administration over accepting monetary payments from disgraced priest and congregation founder, Marcial Maciel in 2010. It did not, however, impede his advancement as noted above.
TLS - Typewritten Letter Signed, one page, 1972, thanking writer for sending birthday wishes to the pope. Signed as Assessor in the Secretariat of State.