Tortosa group COREMBE says it will continue its legal defence of the reinterpretation of the city’s Francoist monument, after criticising the judicial resolution’s interpretation of the case.
The organisation says the public will, expressed in a consultation held in 2020, supports reinterpreting the monument rather than removing it. COREMBE argues that this should be reflected in the legal handling of the dispute.
The monument stands on the River Ebro and was inaugurated in 1966 by dictator Francisco Franco. It was designed to commemorate the Battle of the Ebro during the Spanish Civil War, but its symbolism has long been contested because of its link to the Francoist regime.
In the 2020 consultation in Tortosa, residents voted on the monument’s future, with options including removal or reinterpretation with critical historical context. That result has remained central to COREMBE’s argument in the legal process.
The group says it will keep using legal channels to defend what it sees as the public mandate. The case remains relevant for historical memory debates in Tortosa and across Catalonia. For more local coverage, see our news page.
Official background on the monument and the consultation can be checked through the Ajuntament de Tortosa and the Memorial Democràtic.