The government delegate in Cantabria, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, today presided over an emotional act of recognition, moral reparation and recovery of the memory of four people who suffered persecution for political and ideological reasons during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and the Franco dictatorship.
At an event held at the headquarters of the Government Delegation, the relatives of the victims have been given a Declaration of Recognition and Personal Reparation, pursuant to the provisions of Law 20/2022 on Democratic Memory. These are people who, in defence of freedom and democracy, were persecuted, imprisoned and, in some cases, condemned to death and buried in mass graves.
The government delegate stressed the importance of such acts, which “are of justice” to “honor the memory of the victims, repair the damage caused and strengthen democracy.” "You will never walk alone again," said the delegate, quoting the words of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.
Gómez de Diego has described the act as "exciting and special", a time to "recognize and morally repair" those who suffered the terrible consequences of the Civil War and the Dictatorship. "Thank you for so much generosity and for having taken with dignity the enormous suffering that has been inflicted on you. In times of negationism and forgetfulness, you are an example of dignity and resistance," he said, addressing families.
The delegate has defended the right to reparation of victims as "a priority objective of democratic societies" and has guaranteed that the Government of Spain will use all means of the State to protect the dignity of the victims. Acts like this, he said, serve to "keep in mind that memory, the first thing it should be, is democracy."
Education, pedagogy and public policy
In a context where historical memory continues to be the subject of debate, Gómez de Diego has maintained that memory “challenges us to continue building a society free of hate speech and to weave alliances based on respect, human rights and coexistence.” “It is our institutional responsibility as a democratic government and as convinced democrats to maintain and spread our memory in the face of barbarism,” he said.
Faced with these attitudes, the delegate has advocated "to continue defending the law, human rights, as enshrined in our Constitution, the United Nations and as reflected in all the international conventions and declarations signed by Spain."
Especially at a time of the rise of the far right, he stressed that “education, pedagogy and public policies of memory are essential for the whole of society, and especially so that the youngest ones, who were born and raised in democracy and in a prosperous and tolerant Europe, do not fall into the networks of hate speeches of the heirs of terror.”
In addition to the presence of relatives of the victims, authorities and representatives of memorialist associations, Gómez de Diego thanked them for their work: “Thank you for your fair and courageous fight, for supporting the families of the missing.”