Podemos Demands Immediate Removal of Franco Monument in Santa Cruz
Podemos Canarias has issued an ultimatum to the local government in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, led by Coalición Canaria and the Partido Popular, to promptly remove the Franco monument. This comes after the Spanish government mandated its removal within six months. The party warned that if the council continues to delay compliance with the Memory Law, it will expand its complaint filed with the public prosecutor’s office six months ago for alleged corruption.
Podemos claims that the state’s resolution validates their concerns that the proposal to designate the monument as a Cultural Heritage Site was merely a tactic to obstruct its removal. Following the rejection of this designation by the Canarian Cultural Heritage Council and the order from the Ministry of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, the party believes the council has exhausted all excuses to retain a symbol of Francoist exaltation in public spaces.
Noemí Santana, Podemos’ regional coordinator and a member of Congress, stated, “We reported six months ago that the council was trying every possible means to avoid following the law. Today, time has proven us right. The pretence of the Cultural Heritage designation has collapsed, and there are no excuses left for delaying the monument’s removal. If CC and PP continue to defy the Memory Law, we will expand our complaint with all the facts that have occurred since then.”
Podemos also warned that prolonged failure to comply with the law could have financial repercussions for Santa Cruz residents. The Memory Law includes penalties for administrations that shirk their responsibilities, and the Spanish government has indicated that if the council does not act within the stipulated time, it will take action itself, passing the costs back to the municipality.
Fernando Ruiz, Podemos Canarias’ communication secretary, remarked, “If CC and PP continue prioritising the protection of a Francoist monument over law enforcement, it will be the taxpayers who end up footing the bill. This not only includes potential fines but also costs from actions that could have been avoided.”
He expressed concern that the council might try to justify spending a large sum to preserve the monument once removed, insisting, “We won’t allow them to turn the protection of a Francoist symbol into another waste of public funds. The priority must be to remove it as soon as possible and comply with the law without further delays.”
For Podemos, the government’s resolution signifies the end of a blocking strategy that they have reported to the prosecutor’s office. “The time for excuses is over. It’s time to comply with the law,” they concluded.
