Spain orders removal of Carrero Blanco monument in Santoña

Spain’s Ministry of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory has ordered the removal of a monument dedicated to Luis Carrero Blanco, the former vice president of the Franco government, in Santoña, Cantabria. The local government has been given a maximum of six months to remove the statue from public space.

The Ministry’s resolution includes the monument in the official catalog of symbols and elements contrary to democratic memory, stating that it serves to exalt Francoism. The decision also noted that there are no sufficient artistic or architectural reasons to justify the monument’s preservation, dismissing attempts by local authorities to protect it as a cultural heritage site.

The order follows complaints from memorialist associations, such as Héroes de la República y la Libertad, which argued that the monument glorifies the political and ideological values of the dictatorship. While the Santoña City Council had previously attempted to shield the statue by citing Carrero Blanco’s status as a victim of terrorism, the central government has rejected these arguments.