The delegate of the Government in Cantabria, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, has held a meeting with various memory associations of the region in which key issues in defense of the Democratic Memory and the commitment of the Government of Spain to its preservation have been addressed.
During the meeting, the delegate stressed the importance of the constitutional appeal filed by the central executive against the repeal of the Cantabrian Historical Memory Law, noting that it is a commitment fulfilled with the victims and with the defense of democratic principles. "This resource is a sign of the government's commitment to defending memory and historical justice. We cannot allow setbacks in rights and recognition of victims," said Gómez de Diego.
Likewise, the groups present have exposed the activities they carry out and have put forward proposals for closer collaboration with the Government Delegation. Within this framework, it has been agreed to promote joint actions and that the associations transfer initiatives for the organization of shared events or the declaration of places of memory.
Another of the points discussed was the request to officially commemorate the dates established by the State Law of Democratic Memory: October 31 as Day of Remembrance and Tribute to all the victims of the military coup, the War and the Dictatorship, and May 8 as Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the victims of exile.
The associations have highlighted the importance of recognizing the so-called “deportees of the rural world” as part of the Republican exile, as well as the relevance of collective recognition to the victims of Franco’s regime. In this context, they have expressed their interest in deepening these lines of work and in making the reprisals visible. "It is essential that the new generations know the history and that the memory of the victims remains present in our society," said the government delegate.
On the other hand, the representatives of the associations have demanded greater celebrity when obtaining information in the civil registers, with the aim of facilitating the work of documentation and recognition of the victims.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Association Heroes of the Republic and Freedom, the Asociación Desmemoriados, the Colectivo Memoria de Laredo and AGE - Asociación Guerra y Exilio.