Women who survived Spain's Franco-era centres disrupt Catholic apology
Paca Blanco, 76, a survivor, reacts before a ceremony by the Spanish Confederation of Religious Entities (CONFER) to apologise to the survivors of Catholic moral rehabilitation institutes in Spain, where thousands of women and girls suffered harsh treatment during Franco's dictatorship, in Madrid, Spain, June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Juan Medina
Mariaje Lopez, 67, a survivor, sits before a ceremony by the Spanish Confederation of Religious Entities (CONFER) to apologise to the survivors of Catholic moral rehabilitation institutes in Spain, where thousands of women and girls suffered harsh treatment during Franco's dictatorship, in Madrid, Spain, June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Juan Medina
Consuelo Garcia del Cid, 66, a survivor and advocate for the cause, reacts before a ceremony by the Spanish Confederation of Religious Entities (CONFER) to apologise to the survivors of Catholic moral rehabilitation institutes in Spain, where thousands of women and girls suffered harsh treatment during Franco's dictatorship, in Madrid, Spain, June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Juan Medina
Yolanda Morales Pereira holds a photo of her late mother, Maria de los Angeles Morales Pereira who was in one of the rehabilitation centers, during a ceremony by the Spanish Confederation of Religious Entities (CONFER) to apologise to the survivors of Catholic moral rehabilitation institutes in Spain, where thousands of women and girls suffered harsh treatment during Franco's dictatorship, in Madrid, Spain, June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Juan Medina
Dozens of women, among them survivors, activists, and family members, shout \"True, justice and reparation,\" as many of them hold a sign reading \"No\" close to Spanish Equality Minister Ana Redondo Garcia, during a ceremony by the Spanish Confederation of Religious Entities (CONFER) to apologise to the survivors of Catholic moral rehabilitation institutes in Spain, where thousands of women and girls suffered harsh treatment during Franco's dictatorship, in Madrid, Spain, June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Juan Medina
Dozens of women, among them survivors, activists, and family members, shout \"True, justice and reparation,\" as many of them hold a sign reading \"No\" during a ceremony by the Spanish Confederation of Religious Entities (CONFER) to apologise to the survivors of Catholic moral rehabilitation institutes in Spain, where thousands of women and girls suffered harsh treatment during Franco's dictatorship, in Madrid, Spain, June 9, 2025. REUTERS/Juan Medina
MADRID - Spanish women who were forced into rehabilitation centres during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco broke up a Catholic meeting held to offer them a apology and demanded more concrete reparation from the church and state.
Protesters - including survivors in their 60s and 70s, activists and relatives - held up banners marked "No" during the event on Monday night, threw the signs into the audience and forced organisers to suspend the meeting.
Thousands of girls and young women who were accused of perceived moral failings - from pregnancies outside marriage to left-wing activism - were put into state-run Catholic rehabilitation institutions for periods during Franco's rule, from the 1940s up to a decade after his death into the 1980s.
A Catholic body that includes most of the communities of nuns that helped operate some of the centres held a ceremony to ask the women for forgiveness in the Pablo VI Foundation auditorium in Madrid, the first event of its kind in Spain.
The President of the Spanish Confederation of Religious Entities (CONFER) read out an apology then invited survivors to come to the stage as a video of them describing their experiences was shown.
After the film, which was often drowned out by cheers and cries of "Yes, we can", people in the crowd jumped to their feet and started shouting "truth, justice and reparation," and "neither forget nor forgive".
CONFER officials turned on the lights, abruptly ended the event and later said they may issue a statement in response on Tuesday.
The confrontation underlined the depth of feeling over the Patronato de Proteccion a la Mujer (Board for the Protection of Women) institutes - part of the legacy of Franco's rule that is still haunting Spain almost 50 years after his death in November 1975.
'ACT OF JUSTICE'
Campaigners, including individual survivors and organisations such as the Banished Daughters of Eve, are demanding a response from the state, along the lines of Ireland's 2013 apology and reparations for the abuses in its Magdalene Laundries.
Some are also asking for financial compensation to cover costs, including psychological support, and the work that they say they were made to do without pay in the centres.
At the event, before it was disrupted, CONFER chairman Jesus Diaz Sariego described the statement as one step towards a broader process of recognition and that the organisation would collaborate in the search for the truth.
"We are here to do what we consider necessary and right: to ask for forgiveness ... because this act is not just a formality, but a necessary act of justice. It is an exercise in historical and moral responsibility," he said.
After the event, Consuelo Garcia del Cid, 66, a survivor, dismissed that apology as a "facelift" and accused CONFER of removing some of the recorded testimonies and stopping women talking about babies that campaigners say were taken from unwed mothers at the centres.
Garcia del Cid, who championed the cause with several books and founded Banished Daughters of Eve, had earlier told the audience the Spanish government owed them, particularly for the 10 years the boards were kept running after Franco.
Spain's Democratic Memory Ministry - set up to tackle the legacy of Spain's civil war and Franco's regime - said last week it applauded CONFER's action and planned to hold its own ceremony later this year.
It declined to comment further on Monday. Equality minister Ana Redondo attended the event but did not make any comment. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
UK and France to ratify 'one in, one out' migrant returns deal
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands as they hold a press conference on July 10, 2025 in London, England. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo LONDON - Britain said it would begin implementing a deal to return migrants who arrive on small boats to France within days after a treaty on the arrangement - a key part of British plans to cut illegal migration - is ratified on Tuesday. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the "one in, one out" pilot scheme on migrant returns last month. Under the new deal, France has agreed to accept the return of undocumented people arriving in Britain by small boats, in exchange for Britain agreeing to accept an equal number of legitimate asylum seekers with British family connections. A treaty on the scheme was signed last week but not previously announced ahead of Tuesday's ratification. Britain said the European Commission and EU member states had given the green light to the plan. Starmer, whose popularity has fallen since winning an election landslide last year, is facing pressure to stop small boat arrivals from the populist Reform UK party, led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage. Britain's interior ministry said it expected detentions to begin within days. "This is an important step towards undermining the business model of the organised crime gangs that are behind these crossings," British interior minister Yvette Cooper said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore launches review of economic strategy to stay ahead of global shifts Singapore A look at the five committees reviewing Singapore's economic strategy World Trump says he will 'substantially' raise tariffs on India over Russian oil purchases Singapore Strong S'pore-Australia ties underpinned by bonds that are continually renewed: President Tharman Singapore All recruits at BMTC will be trained to fly drones and counter them: Chan Chun Sing Sport Singaporean swimmer Gan Ching Hwee at 'crossroads' after World Aquatics C'ships display Singapore Ong Beng Seng to be sentenced on Aug 15, prosecution does not object to fine due to his poor health Singapore Pritam Singh had hoped WP would 'tip one or two more constituencies' at GE2025 Under the agreement with France, government sources previously said they were looking at about 50 returns a week, or 2,600 a year, a fraction of the more than 35,000 arrivals reported last year, though the scheme could be scaled up. More than 25,000 people have arrived on small boats so far in 2025, and the government has targeted people smugglers with sanctions, clamped down on social media adverts and is working with delivery firms to tackle the illegal work that is often promised to migrants. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Rwanda agreed deal with US to take in up to 250 migrants
Venezuelan migrants repatriated from the US walk upon arrival at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, on July 25. WASHINGTON - The United States and Rwanda have agreed for the African country to potentially accept hundreds of migrants deported from the US, the spokesperson for the Rwandan government and an official told Reuters, as President Donald Trump's administration takes a hardline approach toward immigration. The agreement, under which Rwanda would accept up to 250 migrants, was signed by US and Rwandan officials in Kigali in June, said the Rwandan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that Washington had already sent an initial list of 10 people to be vetted. "Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants, in part because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation," said the spokesperson for the Rwandan government, Yolande Makolo. "Under the agreement, Rwanda has the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement. Those approved will be provided with workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation support to jumpstart their lives in Rwanda, giving them the opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest growing economies in the world over the last decade." The White House, State Department and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. President Donald Trump aims to deport millions of immigrants in the US illegally and his administration has sought to ramp up removals to third countries, including sending convicted criminals to South Sudan and Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. Rwanda has in recent years positioned itself as a destination country for migrants that Western countries would like to remove, despite concerns by rights groups that Kigali does not respect some of the most fundamental human rights. REUTERS
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Trump to sign order creating Olympics task force ahead of 2028 games
WASHINGTON :U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday creating a White House Olympics task force to handle security and other issues related to the 2028 summer Olympic games, an administration official told Reuters. The task force, made up of members from Trump's cabinet and government agencies, will coordinate federal, state and local government work on transportation as well, the official said. It also will "streamline visa processing and credentialing for foreign athletes, coaches, officials, and media," the official said in an email.
