Part 6: Politics

We went for a look around the newly-restored village church the other day. It is by some margin the biggest and most impressive building in the village. All through the spring and into the early summer a team of men has been working on restoring the roof to its former glory. They have managed to co-exist peacefully with the storks that traditionally nest on one corner of the roof, and the stork family successfully raised a family of three chicks, all under the watchful eyes of the stonemasons. As the cemetery is next to the church, we thought we would have a quick look at the villagers´ last resting place.

I was surprised to see on one tomb, that its occupant had been “vilely assassinated by the Marxist horde” in the summer of 1936. I don’t know why I should have been so surprised, but somehow I had got the impression that after Franco’s death in 1975, such inflammatory language in public places might have been expunged. This was a reminder that for many people, Spain’s civil war, which ended in 1939, was not just some fading memory, but a livid scar on the national psyche.

Just down the road in Mérida, fresh mass graves from the civil war are still being discovered, and there is quite a strong movement demanding that the remains be identified, wherever possible, and given a decent burial. By and large though, the crimes of the Franco regime remain a taboo topic. He was known around these parts as Paco Rana, (Frankie Frog might perhaps be a suitable translation) for the many dams and reservoirs that he had constructed in Extremadura. Those dams and reservoirs are the reason why we never have our water cut off, and the town hall of just about every town in the region can carry on irrigating the parks and gardens even during the most intense drought. (This year is already well on the way to being worse than last year; and last year was the driest year on record.) The late General Franco is a lot less unpopular around here than he is in other parts of the country.

Politically the village is, apparently, divided pretty much down the middle with an even number of right and left wingers. Perhaps it is this stalemate which prevents people from speaking publicly about politics, most people confining themselves to such bland remarks as: “All politicians are bastards, and none of them can be trusted.”

The current mayor belongs to the PSOE party and has been in power for quite a number of years now. He is a genial sort and takes his duties very seriously. On one occasion there was a burst water pipe right outside our front door. It was nearly midnight before anybody noticed it. Nonetheless a late night phone call from the mayor ensured that a van arrived from the water company at one AM, and started work on the repairs straight away. Having said that, it seems that quite a few people reckon the alcalde´s days are numbered, and that just about anybody who ran against him would stand a fair chance of being elected. I might have a go myself on a free beer for all ticket. Surely nobody would oppose such a noble political agenda.

Footnote. For those already living in Spain, and whose Spanish is up to snuff, I can heartily recommend the television series “Cuéntame cómo pasó” (Tell me how it happened), which is broadcast every Thursday, at 22.00, on the first channel of the state-run network. It is a long running drama serial about the days in the run up to the death of Franco. It is, by some considerable margin, the best programme on Spanish television, and can provide a valuable insight into the events of the mid seventies: events which changed Spain for ever.

Articles in the series:

Introduction to Pete's Tale

Part 1: Village Life

Part 2: Bichos

Part 3: A Two-Bar Town

Part 4: Fruit and Veg

Part 5: Summer

Part 6: Politics

Part 7: Noise

Part 8: Our natural park

Part 9: New Year's Eve

Part 10: Timetables

Part 11: The Land Where the Pig is King

Part 12: How Not to Buy a House

Part 13: That First Winter

Part 14: The Extremeño Spring

Part 15: To be a Pilgrim

Part 16: A Change is Coming

Part 17: Wine Talk

Part 18: Free For All

Part 19: How Do You Spell Asparagus?

Part 20: Designer Peas