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Exhumation of Franco's remains begins in Spain Exhumation of Franco's remains begins in Spain
(32 minutes later)
Work has begun to exhume Francisco Franco from the tomb in the Valley of the Fallen where the Spanish dictator has lain since his death in 1975 and to transfer his remains to lie alongside those of his wife in a cemetery outside Madrid. Work has begun to exhume Francisco Franco from the tomb in the Valley of the Fallen where the Spanish dictator has lain since his death in 1975 and to transfer his remains to lie alongside those of his wife in a cemetery near Madrid.
Shortly after 10.30am on Thursday morning, the Spanish government announced that the operation to move the dictator’s body was under way. Shortly after 10.30am local time (0930 BST) on Thursday, the Spanish government announced the operation to move his body was under way.
Twenty-two members of the Franco family have gathered in the basilica, along with Spain’s justice minister, Dolores Delgado, in her role as first notary of the kingdom.Twenty-two members of the Franco family have gathered in the basilica, along with Spain’s justice minister, Dolores Delgado, in her role as first notary of the kingdom.
A canopy has been erected to cover the grave and guard against any attempts to film the exhumation. Those present will be checked for electronic devices to make sure there are no images or sound recordings of the exhumation. A canopy has been erected to cover the grave and guard against any attempts to film the exhumation. Those present will be checked for electronic devices to make sure there are no images or sound recordings.
If all goes to plan, the 1.5-tonne slab that has covered the dictator’s tomb will be lifted and the coffin removed and flown by helicopter or taken by road to Mingorrubio-El Pardo municipal cemetery. If all goes to plan, the 1.5-tonne slab that has covered the tomb will be lifted and the coffin removed and flown by helicopter or taken by road to Mingorrubio-El Pardo municipal cemetery.
Franco’s remains have had pride of place in the basilica, which is 40 miles (64km) north-west of Madrid, since his death in 1975. Born in 1892 in Ferrol, Galicia, Francisco Franco Bahamonde was a Spanish general and politician who ruled over Spain as head of state and dictator under the title Caudillo between 1939 and 1975.
Although the Valley of the Fallen and its 150-metre (490ft) cross ostensibly commemorate all those killed in the Spanish civil war, for many people, it serves only to glorify Franco and his four-decade dictatorship. He and other officers led a military insurrection against the Spanish democratic government in 1936, a move that started a three-year civil war. A staunch Catholic, he viewed the war and ensuing dictatorship as something of a religious crusade against anarchist, leftist and secular tendencies in Spain. His authoritarian rule, along with a profoundly conservative Catholic church, ensured Spain remained virtually isolated from political, industrial and cultural developments in Europe for nearly four decades. 
The government said the dictator’s remains needed to be moved as they could no longer “remain in a public mausoleum that exalts his figure”, adding that the removal would “symbolically close the circle of Spanish democracy”. The country returned to democracy in 1977 but his legacy and place in Spanish political history still sparks rancour and passion. 
For many years, thousands of people commemorated the anniversary of his 20 November 1975 death in Madrid's central Plaza de Oriente esplanade and at the Valley of the Fallen mausoleum. And although the dictator's popularity has plummeted, the 2019 exhumation of his body has been criticised by Franco's relatives, Spain's three main rightwing parties and some members of the Catholic church for opening old political wounds. 
Franco’s remains have had pride of place in the basilica, which is 40 miles (64km) north-west of Madrid, since his death.
Although the Valley of the Fallen and its 150-metre (490ft) cross ostensibly commemorate all those killed in the Spanish civil war, for many people it serves only to glorify Franco and his nearly four-decade dictatorship.
The government said his remains needed to be moved as they could no longer “remain in a public mausoleum that exalts his figure”, adding that the removal would “symbolically close the circle of Spanish democracy”.
But after months of appeals and legal arguments, Spain’s supreme court gave permission for the exhumation at the end of September.But after months of appeals and legal arguments, Spain’s supreme court gave permission for the exhumation at the end of September.
The exhumation phase could take between one and three hours, after which the remains will be blessed by the prior, Santiago Cantera, and the coffin carried out of the basilica by family members.The exhumation phase could take between one and three hours, after which the remains will be blessed by the prior, Santiago Cantera, and the coffin carried out of the basilica by family members.
A private family service will be held inside the Franco mausoleum, where the dictator’s widow, Carmen Polo, was buried after her death in 1988. A private family service will be held inside the Franco mausoleum Mingorrubio-El Pardo, where the dictator’s widow, Carmen Polo, was buried after her death in 1988.
Francisco FrancoFrancisco Franco
SpainSpain
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