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Javier is a Berlin-based multimedia journalist. He completed a MA in International Journalism at City, University of London and is focused on humanitarian and conflict issues.
With experience in several countries, he's covered the refugee crisis, Turkey's coup attempt and the Kurdish conflict.
Among others, his work has been published at ABC News, Al Jazeera, Channel NewsAsia, RBB, IRIN News, El Confidencial, Público or Diario ABC.
Franco's Remains Will Finally Go, Dictator's Few Supporters Go Live On TV
A couple of days ago, a British friend of mine couldn't believe what I was telling her. "Really? I thought those things didn't happen in Europe anymore," was her response.
I was explaining that a huge monument built for the glory of a fascist dictator still exists in Spain, that his remains continue to be there, and that every year, to commemorate the day he comfortably died in his bed, a group of far right fanatics show up to pay their respects. "I had no idea. I can't believe it", she said.
I found it strange that my friend didn't know about the Valley of the Fallen, where the tomb of Francisco Franco is located.
Firstly because it's even been reviewed by Trip Advisor. But especially because it's been constantly in the news over the past weeks. And for the first time it's for good reasons.
43 years after his death, the Spanish government has finally approved a decree to exhume Franco's remains from the Valley of the Fallen.
The deputy prime minister went on to explain that the Franco family will have two weeks to take charge of the remains of the former dictator, and should they fail to do so, the Spanish government will choose a “dignified and respectful” place for him to be reinterred.
The government is now trying to decide what to do with the monument. The idea is to transform it into a memorial for democracy and recognition of the people brutally repressed by Franco's fascist dictatorship. In fact, more than 33,800 victims of the bloody Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) that paved the way for Franco's 36-year-long dictatorship are buried in the Valley of the Fallen.
Leaving aside the enormous delay, this shouldn't be something surprising in a so-called modern, grown-up European democracy. However, in Spain the issue continues to create a lot of controversy and we still have to watch openly fascist people going live on TV defending an abhorrent, criminal man.
In terms of the number of people who have been disappeared, Spain is the second country in the world (behind Pol Pot's Cambodia) in terms of the number of people who have been disappeared.
