The Senate condemns the franco regime, with the abstention of the PP and Citizens

The full Senate has condemned this Wednesday "categorically" the franco regime, as well as "any act of exaltation of the same" in a motion of the PSOE, which supports the Government in the exhumation of Franco's Valley of the Fallen, and that has come forward by the abstention of the PP, which has an absolute majority in the upper House. The initiative, without any dissenting vote, has received the support of 97 votes of the PSOE, United we Can and the nationalist catalans and basques. PP, Citizens, Union del Pueblo Navarro and Forum Asturias have contributed 136 abstentions.

In defense of the motion, senator, socialist Francesc Antich has justified the initiative on the revalidation and support to the fundamental values of democracy and of condemnation of the franco regime, and any act of exaltation of the same. The socialists have urged the Government to strengthen its policy to restore the dignity of victims and to face “the perversion of the democratic that supposes that Franco follow buried in the Valley of the Fallen”.

Also, have called on the Executive to promote the revision of the law of memory, and that the royal decree for the exhumation of the dictator to be treated as law. The initiative requires the outlawing of organizations or foundations that exalt “the dictatorship, fascism or nazism” and that it reinforces the policies of location of mass graves of Liderbahis victims, exhumation, and aid to families.

The PP has tried to introduce an amendment, championed by senator Remigio Joel Delgado Cáceres, to the outlawing of this type of organizations, it also included “other ideologies such as communism”. The senator has taken the opportunity to criticize the visit of Pedro Sanchez of Cuba and it has leaded him to the president of the Government to meet with members of the opposition. All in all, the PP has sought to distance himself from the figure of Franco. “We condemn the franco dictatorship, but I was born 11 years later. What do I do with it?” it has been removed. The senator has also accused the PSOE have agreed with “[Quim] Torra, and we Can”, that “exude hatred for the pores of your skin.”

To finish setting the position of the pdp, senator Carlos Aragonés has considered that “almost all of the Popular Group” would not like to reject “any motion of condemnation of a dictatorship”, but regretted the “policy of exclusion of the rival” that have made “too many spokespersons”. With an exposition of arguments, he added, “seasoned with a rhetoric that is very close to consider political enemies”. For Aragon, it was “put the finger in the eye to the PP in the November 20” and has accused the groups that have supported the motion of “radicalizing the discourse and make popular frontism against the right or the center.” “These motions only contribute to a thinning of the political climate and to rub salt in the wounds”, have been prosecuted.

the senator of The Socialist Group, Tontxu Rodriguez has accused the popular “get profile” to the franco regime because “they sink their ideological roots” in “the shirts new, the flags victorious, and Spain begins to dawn”, raising the protests in the base of the PP. For its part, Citizens has been introduced without success an amendment that would require consensus prior to the exhumation of Franco and improve the law of memory “with the broader consensus.” The PSOE itself has accepted amendments of United we Can and the PNV.