Spain: Government Takes Steps Towards Exhuming Remains Of Francisco Franco

Spain’s Council of Ministers adopted two decisions that affect the exhumation of the remains of the dictator Francisco Franco. On the one hand, it rejected the appeal for reversal against the exhumation procedure and the transfer of his mortal remains, lodged by the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos.

It also rejected the challenge filed by a relative of the dictator against the procedural investigation to recognize and extend the rights of those who suffered persecution or violence during the Civil War and the Dictatorship.

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Government, Minister for the Presidency, Parliamentary Relations and Equality, Carmen Calvo, said that the “government is proceeding with absolute normality” in the administrative procedure to exhume the remains of Francisco Franco. She also announced that this week’s Council of Ministers may take the last administrative step in the procedure.

Carmen Calvo underlined that “under no circumstance” can the remains of the dictator stay in a place that may be a forum for tribute or glorification. “We want the collaboration of the Catholic Church to be addressed to the purpose that the law states, which is that Francisco Franco does not lie in a State or is glorified in any way whatsoever”, she said.

In this regard, she clarified that she conveyed this issue last Monday to the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and received “a clear and straight-forward response: the Church will not oppose the exhumation of his remains”.