bysharp Aug 29, 2018:

I would translate salvapatrias as "false patriot".

patricia scott Mar 30, 2007:

In line with Aceavila's comment, there is an expression "erigirse en salvador de la patria" which is more or less the same thing.

Noni Gilbert Riley Mar 30, 2007:

that can be the sense here. See Patricia below which seems to fit neatly.

Noni Gilbert Riley Mar 30, 2007:

In Italian it seems to mean someone who sets themselves up as the "saviour of the human race", which is the sense that comes out in some of the goodle hits in Spanish too. A kind of self-style Cid Campeador/knight in shining armour. But I don´t think ...