The Government delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, presided today at the headquarters of the Government Delegation the commemoration of the 47th anniversary of the ratification by referendum of the Spanish Constitution of 1978.
Before civil and military authorities in the Throne Room of the headquarters of the Government Delegation in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Anselmo Pestana has stressed that, the Transition is a “construction in permanent change” and that “democracy is a process that never ends”, so the achievements reached in the last 50 years in Spain after the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco are a “starting point to continue moving forward, to continue building a fairer, more egalitarian, more inclusive society”.
“We cannot forget that democracy, like freedom, requires constant care and work. That is why I want to call on all sectors of society and all young and old people to continue working for a fairer, more inclusive, and freer society. May the memory of the sacrifices and the struggles for democracy remain alive in all of us, and may they inspire us to continue working in unity and moving forward in this stage of renewed hope,” he said.
“In these 50 years of freedom we have gained a lot, but we must also be aware that the challenges remain. Political polarization, social tensions, climate change, economic inequalities and disinformation, especially through social networks, negationism and other threats, are issues that require our commitment and our unity,” he added.
Anselmo Pestana has identified the challenges facing Spain, “in a world that some seek to fill with alternative facts, post-truths and prelies, which no longer eliminate the truth, but seek to ruin the common world that has been allowing us reasonable democratic deliberation.”
And he has called “for the democratic combat of those expressions of hatred that try to deteriorate the best we have”, democracy: “That we do not allow that, under the pretext of exercising freedom of expression, we should respect opinions that are simply racist, xenophobic, criminal, accent, contrary to equality,” he said.
The government delegate in the Canary Islands recalled that almost half a century ago “thousands of people fought to recover what had been taken from us: freedom, dignity and the right to decide on our destiny in democracy”, a transition that culminated in the approval of the Constitution of 1978, foundation of “a plural, diverse and committed Spain to social justice” and that now begins to overcome in longevity the Constitution of 1876, until now the most lasting.
“In 1978, Spain was a country emerging from a dictatorship of almost 40 years, where political repression, censorship and lack of rights were the norm. Freedom of expression, the right to vote, gender equality and the protection of human rights were only distant dreams for many men, but above all for women. Today, those dreams are a daily reality with which we live each day without giving it that greater importance,” he says.
“In these 50 years, we have achieved achievements that, at some moments in our history, seemed impossible. We have consolidated a stable democracy, we have gone from being a closed and centralised economy to being one of the most dynamic economies in Europe, embedded in an increasingly important European Union in our life. We have seen how civil and political rights have been expanded to ensure that all people, regardless of their origin, sex, sexual orientation or beliefs, are treated equally and with respect; that we have a country whose Armed Forces and State Security Forces participate in peace missions and in helping many other countries to improve the training of their human teams,” he added.
Anselmo Pestana stressed that “the memory of the dictatorship is still an issue that we must face with the spirit of reconciliation that characterizes our democracy. But it must also be a constant reminder that today we live in a free, democratic and diverse country, in which each person has a voice and a vote, in which each person can love whoever they want, and in which fundamental rights are the axis of our coexistence.”
Awarding of recognitions for promoting the spirit of the Constitution
As every year, the Delegation of the Government in the Canary Islands has given a series of recognitions to figures and organizations that daily carry out the spirit of the Constitution, highlighting on this occasion their contributions within the framework of articles 44.2, 46, 49 and 124 of the Fundamental Law of 1978.
- Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands (IAC)
By virtue of Article 44.2 EC, the Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands (IAC) has been recognized, within the framework of its 40th anniversary, for its contribution to the promotion of science and scientific and technical research for the benefit of the general interest through its research, technological and international cooperation activity.
This year the IAC has celebrated four decades of research, international collaboration and significant advances in global astrophysics, continuing its legacy with new projects and consolidating itself as one of the most important observatories in the world for the study of the universe.
The director of the IAC, Valentín Martínez Pillet, has received the recognition.
- Luis Hernández Martín, palaeographer (posthumously)
For its contribution to the protection and enrichment of the historical and cultural heritage of the island of La Palma, values that are framed in article 46 of the Spanish Constitution, the Delegation of the Government in the Canary Islands has granted recognition, posthumously, to the paleographer Luis Hernández Martín.
An artist and author of several books published in the Canary Islands in terms of research, Luis Hernández Martín came to the field of genealogy for a personal interest turned into an object of study since the early 90s and to unravel the family tree in the search for his ancestors in San Andrés y Sauces, where his mother came from. His love for palaeography led him in 2009 to establish the Association of Letters Different Editions, a non-profit cultural institution dedicated to publishing monographs and magazines on the Canary Islands.
His daughter Camino Hernández Pérez and his brother Paco Hernández Martín have received recognition.
- SERVIDIS Group and Foundation
Under Article 49 EC, the SERVIDIS Group and Foundation have been granted recognition for their contribution to the social and economic protection of people with disabilities, ensuring their integration into society and their inclusion in the labour market.
The SERVIDIS Group began its work in Gran Canaria 20 years ago, in 2005, as a Special Employment Centre aimed at the socio-occupational integration of people with disabilities through the provision of services. Two years later, in 2007, the SERVIDIS Foundation was created, which has consolidated itself as a reference in the creation and implementation of innovative solutions aimed at promoting decent and stable employment for people with functional diversity, thanks to the constant effort, inclusive vision and spirit of solidarity of its management team.
The recognition has been received by the director of the SERVIDIS Group, Oliver Martín Ramírez, and the president of the SERVIDIS Foundation, Antonio Rico Revuelta.
- María Farnés Martínez Frigola, Senior Prosecutor of Justice of the Canary Islands
For her contribution to the promotion and action of justice in defense of legality, citizen rights and the public interest, a mandate established in article 124 of the Spanish Constitution, the Superior Prosecutor of Justice of the Canary Islands, María Farnés Martínez Frigola, has received recognition. In her long career, she has assumed the most diverse responsibilities, including that of protecting the best interests of unaccompanied foreign minors arriving on our islands.
After acceding to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in 1986 and a brief step through the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Guipúzcoa, in 1987 María Farnés Martínez Frigola joined the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, so almost her entire career has been linked to the Canary Islands. In 2009 she was appointed lieutenant prosecutor until her appointment, in 2020, as provincial chief prosecutor, a position she held until 2022, when she was appointed senior prosecutor of Justice of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands.
In 2005 she was appointed Delegate Prosecutor for Anti-Corruption, tasks that she voluntarily combined with the ordinary functions of the Prosecutor’s Office and between 2005 and 2012 she exclusively handled all cases related to economic crime and crimes committed against the Public Administration. She has also been coordinator of economic crimes, corruption and organized crime.