Santander Adapts: Franquist Street Names to be Replaced Following Fiscalía Order

The city of Santander is currently undergoing a significant transformation as it moves to comply with historical memory laws. Gema Igual, the mayor of Santander (PP), is taking decisive action to rename 16 streets that currently bear names associated with the Franco regime. This decision comes in response to a mandate from the Fiscalía de Memoria Histórica, signaling a clear shift in the city’s approach to its historical legacy.

Compliance with the Law

The official order to change the street names is scheduled for approval in a plenary session on April 24th. This move is aimed at fulfilling the requirements of the historical memory regulations, which prohibit the exaltation or homage to the Franco dictatorship. Carlos Yáñez, the prosecutor for the area in Cantabria, had previously threatened legal action against the city council for non-compliance. According to a report by Juan Navarro, the city council had been warned and the Fiscalía was looking to impose fines for non-compliance (Navarro, 2025).

In response to the prosecutor's criticism, Mayor Igual has refuted claims of "rebellion" or "deliberate inactivity." Instead, she attributes the delay to a thorough consultation process with residents of the affected streets and the necessary administrative procedures for updating the names. The announcement was made via a press release, where Igual defended her administration against accusations of deliberately delaying the implementation of the historical memory laws.

Mayor Igual's Defense

«Public servants are aware of their duty to comply with the laws, regardless of ideologies or any other criteria of political expediency. This has been the approach in Santander, with deliberate steps, consultations, and respect for the residents and the city's history,» Igual stated, as reported by El País. She emphasized that there are no ideological motivations behind the timeline and highlighted that 16 similar changes have already been made in recent years (Navarro, 2025).

Fiscalía's Stance

The Fiscalía de Memoria Histórica has been critical of Santander's delay in implementing changes approved in municipal plenaries in 2015 and 2016. Yáñez argued that this inaction constitutes a deliberate and unacceptable defiance of the law. He stressed that the application of state regulations should not depend on the ideology or political convenience of public officials but must be implemented without hesitation. According to Ediciones EL PAÍS S.L., the penalties for non-compliance range from minor fines of 200 euros to severe penalties of up to 150,000 euros (Ediciones EL PAÍS S.L., 1976).

The Ministerio Público emphasized that «the honors to fascist criminals that the Santander City Council maintains to this day openly repulse the right to reparation for the victims of Francoism.» This statement underscores the urgency and importance of adhering to the historical memory laws.

Street Name Changes

The affected streets and their new names include:

  • Alcázar de Toledo will be replaced by Cuesta de las Ánimas
  • Alto de los Leones will become Benito Madariaga
  • Belchite will be renamed José Luis Casado Soto
  • Brunete will be known as Carmen and Joaquín González Echegaray
  • Camilo Alonso Vega will be changed to José Hierro
  • Capitán Cortés will be replaced by Miguel Ángel García Guinea
  • Carlos Haya will become Antonio de Tova y Arredondo
  • García Morato will be known as Juan Antonio Gutiérrez de la Concha
  • General Díez de Villegas will be changed to José de Bustamante y Guerra
  • General Dávila will be replaced by Paseo de Altamira
  • Alféreces Provisionales will become Fray Silvestres Vélez de Escalante
  • General Moscardó will be known as Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco
  • Montejurra will be changed to Valentín Lavín Casalís
  • Ruiz de Alda will be replaced by Juan de Santander
  • Sargentos Provisionales will become Leonor Plantagenet
  • Zancajo Osorio will be known as Leonor de la Vega

Additional Measures

While these substitutions are being processed, the City Council has announced that it will also remove honors and merits previously awarded to dictator Francisco Franco and former Prime Minister Luis Carrero Blanco, who was born in Santoña, Cantabria. Mayor Igual has committed to keeping the Fiscalía de Memoria informed of every step and development in this matter.

Looking Ahead

The renaming of these streets signifies a crucial step towards acknowledging and rectifying historical injustices. By removing symbols of the Franco regime, Santander is actively participating in the broader effort to honor the victims of the dictatorship and promote a more inclusive and historically accurate representation of its past. The implementation of these changes is being carefully monitored, and the city council is working to ensure a smooth transition, respecting both the legal requirements and the sentiments of its residents. The broader implications of these changes are still being assessed, but it is clear that Santander is currently taking a significant step in confronting its past and shaping a more inclusive future.

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