Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 25 Mar. (Europa Press) –
The Board of Directors of the Circle of Fine Arts in Tenerife has released a statement on Tuesday in which it opposes the designation of the so-called ‘monument to Franco’ as a cultural asset of interest (BIC) due to its violation of the Democratic Memory Law.
The circle asserts that Juan de Ávalos’ work, ‘El Ángel de la Paz’, is “intimately connected” to the monumental complex of which it is a part, to the extent that the public “does not differentiate or isolate one element from another,” as it is commonly referred to in everyday language as the ‘Monument to Franco’.
This situation, by itself, it notes, “already breaches the Law of Historical Memory and Democratic Memory, and thus, it should revoke its designation as BIC” – in the proceedings initiated by the Cabildo de Tenerife to comply with a judicial ruling.
Furthermore, it highlights that historical documents, such as contemporary press articles regarding the dates of the monument’s construction and inauguration, reveal “the purpose and intent behind the monument, serving as a tribute to Franco, symbolising his departure from Tenerife, where he was the captain-general of the Canary Islands, in order to lead the army of the so-called national side, which was involved in a military insurrection against the constitutional government, leading to a devastating three-year civil war from 1936 to 1939, and the collapse of democracy.”
