The delegate of the Government in Cantabria, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, visited Sierra de Ibio today in the company of the ROCA Team of the Civil Guard, the Cantabrian Network of Rural Development, the Councilor for Social Inclusion, Begoña del Río, and the mayor of Mazcuerras, Francisco Javier Camino, to supervise the progress of the program of prevention of social isolation and unwanted loneliness in the region.
During his speech, Gómez de Diego expressed his satisfaction with the initiative, promoted in the last legislature and financed with 350,000 euros from the Next Generation Funds of the European Union. "This innovative program addresses one of the great problems of today's societies: unwanted loneliness," said the delegate, who highlighted the crucial role of the Civil Guard in the fight against rural depopulation.
During her visit, the government delegate shared the experience of Jesus, an 88-year-old neighbor of Ibio, who was grateful for the attention received thanks to the program and the collaboration of the Civil Guard. "The collaboration of the Civil Guard is fundamental. Its 'ROCA Teams', initially created to combat theft in the countryside, have been able to adapt to the needs of the territory, being a key player in the fight against the demographic challenge," he added.
In this regard, the delegate of the Government explained that this type of follow-up intervention and individualized accompaniment to people from rural environments who carry out ROCA Teams in Cantabria is "pioneering in Spain". In this way, they make periodic visits, coordinated with the families, to mitigate that feeling of unwanted loneliness and at a given moment they feel that they have a close and direct resource.
He has also highlighted the cooperation between the Civil Guard and the Saja Nansa Rural Development Association, which brings together 18 municipalities and 20 associations. According to Gómez de Diego, this collaboration is part of the commitment of the Government of Spain in the development of policies against the demographic challenge, having invested 188 million euros in Cantabria between 2021 and 2023 within the Plan of 130 measures promoted by the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Among the outstanding actions are the Destination Tourism Sustainability Plans, with an investment of 13 million for the valorisation of rural territories; the extension of the ultra-fast connection throughout the Cantabrian territory or the DUS 5000 program, which promotes Sustainable Urban Development in municipalities affected by the demographic challenge, with more than 18 initiatives awarded to the value of 5.5 million euros, focused on unique clean energy projects.
The delegate stressed the importance of combating unwanted loneliness, a problem that seriously affects physical, mental and emotional health. "Loneliness increases the risk of hypertension, affects the immune system and can lead to mental health impairments, such as depression or anxiety," he said. In this sense, he has defended the need for public policies and programs that promote cooperation between administrations, agencies and associations to manage this problem.
Over 6,600 interviews
Finally, Gómez de Diego thanked the work of the Civil Guard and all the actors involved in the program, highlighting the role of the European Funds in financing innovative solutions. It has also shown its support for the Ministry of Social Inclusion, encouraging Councillor Begoña del Río to continue betting on this type of initiatives that reinforce social and territorial cohesion.
According to the data provided by the delegate, from June 2022 to August 2024, the Civil Guard of Cantabria has held 6,601 interviews with isolated elderly people, has participated in 268 meetings in social centers and has held more than 2,000 meetings with other actors, such as health services, pharmacies, local corporations and educational centers, all of them involved in the fight against rural depopulation.
Currently, the ROCA Team located in this Region carries out the follow-up, accompaniment and attention to more than 250 people.
The visit was also attended by the Colonel Chief of the Civil Guard in Cantabria, Antonio Orantos, as well as the First Corporal of the Rock Team of Cabezón de la Sal, Diego Lamadriz, in addition to other members of the Corps.