The La Laguna City Council has engaged a team from ULL to conduct an investigation aimed at identifying the remnants of symbols from the Franco dictatorship still visible in the municipality’s streets, monuments, and buildings. This initiative will be headed by María Isabel Navarro, a professor of Art History at the University of La Laguna, who has overseen the catalogue documenting Francoist remnants curated by the University, a project commissioned by the Government of the Canary Islands.
The mayor of La Laguna, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, articulates that the City’s aim is to “persist in our efforts to remove all symbols that glorify the era of dictatorship, in accordance with the Canary Islands Law of Historical Memory of 2019 and the Democratic Memory Law of 2022,” as ratified in the plenary session this Thursday following a motion put forth by the Government Group.
Luis Yeray Gutiérrez expresses gratitude “to the University of La Laguna, its research team, and the esteemed María Isabel Navarro for spearheading this comprehensive and meticulous study, which will be crucial in ensuring that any remnants of Francoist symbolism in La Laguna are entirely eradicated.”
“Significant advancements have been made in recent years regarding this matter. A recent example is the anteroom of the City Council’s plenary chamber, where, during the last term, we removed the portraits of all mayors from the dictatorship. However, there remain certain elements that must be eradicated, not solely in public spaces but also concerning the honours and distinctions granted during that time, which is exactly what we seek to clarify through this University study,” he elaborates.
Gutiérrez has reiterated that “public authorities bear the responsibility to act decisively in eliminating any symbology or messages that undermine individual freedoms, particularly when faced with extremist political groups that openly claim ties to the Franco regime. La Laguna will not turn a blind eye to this reality, and we will relentlessly champion the values of reconciliation and solidarity that are the foundations of our democratic system.”
