The Board of Directors of the Circle of Fine Arts of Tenerife issued a statement on Tuesday, vehemently opposing the designation of the so-called monument to Franco as a cultural asset of notable interest (BIC) for violating the Law of Democratic Memory.
The Circle asserts that the work of Juan de Ávalos, The Angel of Peace, is “intimately connected” to the monumental complex of which it is a part, to the extent that the public “cannot distinguish or separate one part from the other,” as it is commonly referred to in daily discourse as Monument to Franco.
This situation, in itself, constitutes a violation of the Law of Historical Memory and Democratic Memory and, accordingly, the designation as BIC should be revoked in the dossier opened by the Cabildo de Tenerife to comply with a judicial ruling.
Moreover, it underscores that documentary evidence, such as press articles from the time when the monument was created and inaugurated, illuminates the intent behind the monument, serving as a tribute to Franco, marking his departure from Tenerife, where he was the captain general of the Canary Islands. This was in the context of the military uprising against the constitutional government that precipitated the three-year II Civil War, from 1936 to 1939, resulting in the dissolution of democracy.
The statue by Juan de Ávalos has two unfavourable reports regarding its BIC designation and two others that highlight its artistic merit. However, these documents overlook the fact that it serves as an exaltation of the Francoist dictatorship, a point they do not even acknowledge.
