Santa Cruz to Review Franco Monument Amid Legal Challenges
The Canary Islands’ government has ordered the removal of the Franco monument in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, stating it holds no artistic value and glorifies the dictatorship. The local council has less than six months to comply, but Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez (Coalición Canaria) has announced plans to extend the monument’s status amid ongoing legal debates over its cultural significance.
Bermúdez is now seeking public funds to conduct yet another study, aiming to classify the sculpture as culturally significant despite previous rejections from experts and the Council of Cultural Heritage of the Canary Islands. This council recently voted against granting the monument the highest level of protection, known as Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), with 16 votes against, one abstention, and no support.
The Mayor insists that discussions among council members, including representatives from the Government of the Canary Islands and Tenerife, indicate some favour for protecting the monument, despite its recent rejection for BIC status. He argues that the removal order should be suspended while this new study is conducted, claiming there’s now a “reasonable expectation of protection.”
Despite attempts to find artistic value in the monument, which features a statue of the dictator and a Dragon Rapide aircraft, previous studies have largely dismissed such claims. In 2018, the local council commissioned multiple reports but found inconsistent conclusions: two studies refuted the monument’s artistic value, while one acknowledged it without addressing the reasons for its erection.
The Santa Cruz council has previously drawn criticism for delaying compliance with the law, spending over £56,000 on various reports to protect the monument while appealing decisions that already specified necessary changes.
As debates continue, the monument remains a contentious symbol in the ongoing discussion about Spain’s historical memory.
