SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 4 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, visited the ongoing restoration of the Masonic Temple of the Añaza Lodge in Santa Cruz de Tenerife this Wednesday. This project, financed by the Government of Spain with an investment of three million euros, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of the upcoming year.
Torres emphasised the historical significance of the edifice, noting its importance in upholding democratic values.
The structure, which was confiscated and plundered by rebels just one day after the 1936 coup d’état, was constructed in the early 20th century (1899-1902) and was the largest Masonic temple built in Spain prior to the onset of the war.
Within its confines, aside from Lodge ceremonies, adults received free and secular education based on the most progressive pedagogical theories of the time, especially those from the Second Republic.
Furthermore, it served as the printing house for a newspaper that promoted democratic and progressive ideals, according to a statement from the ministry.
However, following the uprising, all assets and records of the Lodge were confiscated and the temple was transformed into a site that facilitated the persecution of Freemasonry.
“This serves as yet another example of the dictatorship’s ‘fake news’. Guided tours were conducted in the temple during which it was claimed that Masons engaged in child sacrifices and witchcraft. Nothing could be further from the truth,” explained Ángel Víctor Torres.
Torres reiterated that the Spanish government remains steadfast in its “absolute commitment to the victims” and will continue its efforts in “restoring the memory of those who sacrificed their lives in defence of constitutional order and the values that define this nation as a democracy.”
In this context, the minister has urged “all democrats” to commemorate the 50th anniversary next year of the restoration of democracy following the dictator’s demise.
“It will be a year dedicated to reflection, to underscoring our democratic values, and to teaching the younger generation about what the dictatorship represented, making them aware that many gave their lives for the freedom they now possess,” he concluded.
