The minister, Ángel Víctor Torres, announced today the beginning of the procedures to declare the city of Ferrol as a Place of Democratic Memory. Torres has advanced that on November 4, the official State Gazette is scheduled to publish the opening file “for a city that, for historical reasons, since the 19th century has been involved in acts in defense of freedoms. As we did with other places, such as Gernika, Ferrol deserves this recognition that ennobles us as democrats and dignifies the victims of repression, totalitarianism and the absence of freedoms,” he said.

Regarding the Pazo de Mearas and the island of San Simón, the minister recalled that the dossiers were opened in early September and “universities, academic institutions and other groups are working on their reports so that all this information can be made public and the allegations and suggestions that are necessary can be received.” Torres added that, although there is a maximum period of one year for the declaration of these two places, “I am sure we will reduce it.”

Today, the minister has also delivered to Silvia Fernández Quinteiro, widow of Eva García de La Torre, the Declaration of Recognition and Personal Reparation for a woman who suffered from Franco’s repression since childhood in centers dependent on the Guardianship of Minors and the Patronato de Protección de la Mujer, being the first woman to receive this Recognition as a victim of the Patronato de la Mujer. Throughout her life she was a victim of oppression and persecuted also for being homosexual. “Eva García de La Torre defended her freedom of choice and love. It is an obligation of all democrats to recognize this woman who fought for the rights we enjoy today,” said the minister, who recalled that the statement delivered today declares null and void the trials to which Eva was subjected and nullifies her sentences.

II Conference on Goods Traffic Controls

Ángel Víctor Torres made these statements today together with the mayor of Vigo, Abel Caballero, after inaugurating the II Conference of Traffic Controls of Goods in the headquarters of the Consortium of the Free Zone of the Galician city. The event was also attended by the Secretary of State for Territorial Policy, Arcadi Spain, and the Secretary General for Territorial Coordination, Miryam Álvarez, along with the government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco.

The minister highlighted the coordination between the ministries of Agriculture, Health and Territorial Policy to achieve the unification of controls in the 44 border posts, “thus eliminating duplication and improving the quality, agility and effectiveness of the service,” he said.

Torres stressed in his inaugural speech that Vigo is an essential part of a network of ports of great strategic importance for international trade. “It is the port of food, because of the volume of imports of products of animal origin and, above all, because it is a world power in the fishing sector.”