The FCSE deploys the most complete security system of the 26 editions of the Sonorama Ribera

• In total there will be 160 agents deployed on the occasion of the festival of which 97 belong to the National Police Force and 63 to the Civil Guard • The main novelty with respect to previous editions lies in the use of drones as a complement to the helicopter in the air support unit • The campaign ‘Ser Libre estar Viva’ of awareness against male violence will be disseminated on the screens of the festival and on the official Instagram of the Sonorama

August 11, 2023.- The delegate of the Government in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, has presented the security system that the State Security Forces have programmed on the occasion of the XXVI Sonorama Ribera that is held until Sunday in Aranda de Duero. This system is the most complete of how many have been organized by adding the use of drones as a monitoring complement. Virginia Barcones has detailed the deployment made at the festival of the campaign ‘Ser Libre estar Viva’ to raise awareness against gender violence.

The delegate of the Government in Castilla y León has visited the main premises of the XXVI Sonorama Ribera de Aranda de Duero, a scenario that will be overflowing since the organization has long explained that it had sold the bonds it brings up for sale and that it will be about 140,000 people who will occupy the premises during these days in the accumulated computation. “To this must be added those fans who arrive without payment to a city that at least doubles its number of inhabitants during this weekend,” explained the delegate of the Government.

This avalanche of music fans will also be distributed through some of the seven stages and meeting points of the city, which requires an effort and work to match the circumstances both in the streets of Aranda and on the roads that arrive here. “In this sense, the State Security Bodies and Forces have long been preparing such a device whose objective is none other than to offer maximum security and protection for the festival attendees,” he said.

The National Police Force will be responsible for coordinating and directing the security of the Sonorama Ribera. To this end, during the weeks prior to its celebration, it held meetings with Civil Protection, the Red Cross and the Emergency Service of the Hospital Santos Reyes as part of these coordination efforts and the establishment of an action protocol.

The National Police Force will be composed of more than 97 personnel, which includes members of Citizen Security, subsoil units. The device includes reinforcements arrived from Madrid and Valladolid. To this are added the aerial control units with the presence of a helicopter and drones. The use of three drones is one of the new developments in terms of surveillance. These aerial units will rotate their work depending on the condition of the batteries and will be checked at a stand for use located inside the safety device. Their presence will strengthen the security system for festival goers.

It is all those elements that make this year’s device the most complete of how many have been developed to date in the Sonorama Ribera since surveillance elements are implemented that allow the most recent technologies and that a few years ago did not exist as is the use of drones. “It is an example of the adaptability of the State Security Forces and Corps,” said Virginia Barcones.

The delegate of the Government has placed special emphasis on the effort made by the Aranda Police Station in relation to the campaign ‘Be Free, Be Alive’ focused on the fight against aggressions and male violence. In this way, the National Police together with Civil Protection, the Red Cross and the emergency services of the Hospital Santos Reyes have developed a whole protocol of exclusive action in case of sexual assault.

Thus, this protocol establishes that from the very moment in which the first news is received and with the aim of guaranteeing the immediate assistance of the victim, “protect his dignity and privacy, transfer it without delay to the medical emergency services”. At the same time, the scenarios of the commission of the crime, the preservation of evidence, vestiges and indications of the event, as well as obtaining the first manifestations of what happened, are kept intact in order to “locate witnesses and identify and arrest the author,” said Barcones.

In this regard, agents of the Family and Women’s Care Unit (UFAM) of the National Police, specialized in these matters, have made basic recommendations to the volunteers of Civil Protection and Red Cross who are at the Festival so that they know how to act if they are presented with a case of alleged sexual assault.

In addition, the Aranda Police Station will, of course, maintain special attention in parallel to other neighborhoods and streets in which by their very nature a potential risk to citizen security and the commission of criminal actions is detected. It will also cover ordinary citizen requirements, without diminishing quality in the services provided on a daily basis.

The celebration of the festival also requires an increase in the surveillance of the nearest roads and villages in the face of this avalanche of visitors both for the festival and for the summer holidays. In order to carry out this task of controlling roads and the surrounding villages, the Civil Guard has deployed more than 60 officers, 30 of whom belong to Citizen Security in the area of Aranda and 18 to that of Burgos. The control system is completed with 15 traffic agents.

A few weeks ago in Aranda de Duero the campaign 'Be Free, be Alive' was presented, which is programmed by the Unit against Violence against Women of the Government Delegation, in coordination with these same units of the respective subdelegations. ”The fact that it was presented here was not the result of chance because, although it is a transversal campaign, it is more focused on the youth and the spaces that it occupies during the summer months, that is, festivals, village parties and nightlife venues. In this regard, I would like to remind you once again that this is the most representative festival in Castilla y León”, said the Delegate of the Government.

The campaign ‘Ser Libre, estar Viva’ aims to raise awareness against the different forms of violence against women, to identify and denounce all forms of male violence. Likewise, to report on the various comprehensive care services that victims have at their disposal.

During the campaign, the 016, the Alercops, free legal assistance, psychological care, the work of the State Security Forces and Bodies, the importance of women’s networks without leaving aside “the relevance” of all policies of prevention and accompaniment to victims, will be valued.

Victims of a case of gender violence should know that, in addition to 016, they have at their disposal 062 of the Civil Guard, 091 of the National Police, 112 of Emergencies and a QR code that directs you to a page with information. “The campaign must be information and awareness but, in case of making a call to one of those numbers, there must also be a quick response to attend to the victims,” said Virginia Barcones, who has not ignored the importance of violet dots.

In the case of the Sonorama Ribera, ‘Ser Libre, estar Viva’ will be shown on the screens of the venue during the musical events and will be broadcast on the Instagram account of the event (@sonoramaribera). Likewise, glasses, fans, cards will be distributed with the phones to which I have just alluded and posters will be placed on which the campaign’s motto appears on a purple background.

“I must say that the violet dots have been visible during the holidays that have already been celebrated and will continue to be so in the future. The municipalities have had funds from the State Pact against Gender Violence for five years”, added the delegate of the Government.

In this regard, in Castilla y León the municipalities have received 22 million euros since 2018. The last 4.5 million were published just three weeks ago in the BOE. The autonomous community of Castilla y León has received this year 14 M€ from the Government of Spain to combat violence against women. “Thanks to this investment, to the work carried out by the institutions, there is already a long way to raise awareness among the population as a preventive measure before this problem,” said the Government delegate.

The ‘Be Free, Be Alive’ campaign will also reach private nightlife venues. “Before I finish, I must underline that the fight against male violence is everyone’s business. For this reason, I would like to thank the State Security Forces for their involvement, the efforts of the most humble of the municipalities or the collaboration of the citizens,” he said.

During the presentation of the security measures of the XVI Sonorama Ribera, Virginia Barcones has been accompanied by the superior chief of the National Police Force in Castilla y León, Juan Carlos Hernández Muñoz; the accidental chief of the XII Zone of Castilla y León of the Civil Guard, Colonel Julio Andrés Gutiérrez Hernández; the deputy delegate of the Government in Burgos, Pedro de la Fuente; the mayor of Aranda de Duero, Antonio Linaje; the director of the Festival, Antonio Ajenjo

Virginia Barcones has wanted the XXV Sonorama Ribera to develop with the most absolute normality. “I want attendees to enjoy the Sonorama to the fullest. Hopefully you will remember it as one of the best experiences of your life. I remind you that in the event of any problem or inconvenience, you can go to the members of the State Security Forces because they are going to be there to help you,” he said.

Before concluding, Virginia Barcones applauded “the excellent collaboration that the Local Police of Aranda always provides National Police and Civil Guard in matters of citizen security.” He also reiterated his gratitude for the collaboration of Civil Protection, the Red Cross and the Emergency Service of the Hospital Santos Reyes with the Aranda Police Station as well as the involvement of the Family and Women’s Care Unit (UFAM) to make music the only protagonist of the Sonorama Ribera 2023.