The Government Delegation in La Roja celebrated this afternoon the act of commemoration of the XLVII Anniversary of the Spanish Constitution, in which the decorations with the Order of Civil Merit and Isabel la Católica corresponding to the Promotion of Honors of the Anniversary of the Spanish Constitution of December 6, 2024 and the Promotion of Honors of the Anniversary of the proclamation of H.M. King Philip VI of June 19, 2025.

During it, the Government delegate in La Rioja highlighted that in 2025 we commemorated that fifty years ago Spain decided to go down a path that transformed forever our identity as a country and turned us into the full and prosperous democracy that we are today.

Arraiz Nalda recalled that the Spanish Transition was an act of profound historical responsibility, fruit of the generosity of many people who, from different positions—sometimes even thought to be irreconcilable—understood that the future could only be built with respect and understanding. “That spirit was crystallized in the 1978 Constitution, a pact between generations, ideologies and territories,” he said.

In this sense, he said that “the pages of our Magna Carta reflect the will of Spain to overcome the past without denying it, to embrace pluralism as wealth and to ensure that never again the future of our country would be tied to imposition or silence”.

In her speech, the delegate insisted that in half a century, rights that previously seemed unattainable have been consolidated and the freedoms of citizens have been expanded, which strengthen us as a society. “We have shown that when our country speaks with its own voice, it does so in the name of democracy,” he argued.

On the other hand, Arraiz Nalda regretted that “currently, voices resurface that, sometimes without explicitly saying so, extol or relativize dark times in which citizenship had no rights and the word lacked value. Faced with this dangerous nostalgia, I claim that it is our responsibility to assert with serenity, but with absolute firmness, that Spain chose freedom, and that this path has no return”, he concluded.

Decorated with the Order of Civil Merit

On the other hand, in the act of celebration of the Spanish Constitution, four decorations of the Order of Civil Merit and two of the order of Isabel la Católica have been awarded, which are intended to reward merits of a civil nature, acquired by personnel dependent on public administrations or other persons, who provide or have provided relevant services to the State.

In total, six decorations have been awarded:

In the Promotion of Honours of the Anniversary of the Spanish Constitution of December 6, 2024,

• Silver Cross of the Order of Civil Merit to Mrs. Sheila Quintanilla Sampedro, civil guard.
• Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil to Mrs. Mónica Espinosa Lorenzo, National Police inspector.
• Cross of Officer of the Order of Civil Merit to D. Ángel Martínez Varona, Delegate of Economy and Finance in La Rioja.

En la Promoción de Honores del Aniversario de la Proclamación de S.M. King Philip VI of June 19, 2025,

• Cruz de Oficial de la Orden de Isabel la Católica a D. Manuel Laguna Cencerrado, Superior Chief of Police of La Rioja.
• Cruz de Oficial de la Orden de Isabel la Católica a D. José Víctor Jiménez García, comandante de la Xª Zona de la Guardia Civil.
• Cross of Officer of the Order of Civil Merit to D. Enrique Fabián De La Iglesia Palacios, State Attorney in La Rioja.