Exhuming Franco's remains is finally passing a pending subject that had been dragging on since the beginning of the democratic normalization process. Like all approvals, the student is happy, in this case the citizens of our country with an awareness of their civility. We know that, years ago, we let slip the outstanding or remarkable grade that we could have achieved if we had then ended the state honors to the dictator, but, for various political reasons, this chapter was not addressed. Until now, that we have made this our time more valuable.
Overcoming forty years of dictatorship may have cost us another forty years: it denotes the fear - when not cowardice - that remained impregnated in a vast majority of the Spanish population, the fear of the ghosts of the past, that our democracy was not sufficiently solid and could go backwards. The failed coup attempt of 23F did not help either: although the attempt failed - and served to highlight the pathetic nature of the previous regime - it generated in society a certain sense of prudence, translated into concessions that were made to Francoism, some of a political nature and others social, which curbed democratic expectations. The whitewashing of the monarchy that Franco restored, for example. Or that the "Caudillo of Spain by the grace of God" remained in the Valley of the Fallen, as he himself determined, in a clear message that he governed after death, because he left everything "tied up and well tied". That is the knot - great knot - that we have managed to untie these days, hence our unreserved joy.
We knew that we could not expect significant changes of register from the governments of the right, many of them formed by prominent members of the previous regime. But it was disappointing to see how socialist governments passed, some with absolute majorities, who, taking dignified steps, did not end up confronting the monster in its maximum symbolic power. We lived with that weight. There is no country in Europe that has a mausoleum to a dictator. It is a tremendous anachronism that reveals, I insist, the lukewarmness with which we have approached our recent past, the transition from dictatorship to democracy. Can anyone imagine a mausoleum in Germany in memory of Hitler or in Italy to Mussolini? Although outbreaks of perverse fanaticism arise in all societies, no European culture dares to pay state homage to a dictator. Democratic health is also measured by these behaviors.
Now, what comes next is the commitment to overcome the deficits that our democracy presents by proposing and approving historical memory laws, both state and regional, that do not resemble final point laws. It is about assuming responsibilities from common sense, that is, calling crime what is crime, and as such is sentenced in Universal Justice, and heroism what is heroic, and as such is recognized in the History of Contemporary Dignity.
Removing Franco from his mausoleum has been a necessary condition for Podemos: this has been exposed in parliamentary headquarters, in the different state and regional debates and in its documents. To advance in coexistence it was necessary to make clear that democracy is not the succession of Francoism, that this supposed tutelage has been legally and emotionally overcome by another time that is built from principles, the Declaration of Human Rights, and also with the Human Duties that we, citizens, impose on ourselves to make contemporary society more habitable. In which we all fit, living and dead, that is why we want to restore those who the past condemned twice, first executing, then silencing.
From Podemos we will continue contributing our work of social construction. Also, and because that is part of the mandate received, we will continue demanding that this Government be coherent and that management and declarations do not contradict each other. It is time to put an end to impunity, to make democratic memory laws with sufficient budgetary allocation to judge fascist crimes and restore the memory of those who fought for freedoms and democracy in our country. We will gain in dignity and also, even if some say no, in governability. Society is sensible and knows it.
By María del Río, president of the parliamentary group Podemos Canarias
