The Pozuelo de Alarcón Town Hall has renamed the Arroyo de Las Cárcavas park as 'Miguel Ángel Blanco', in an event with his sister María del Mar Blanco and the mayor Paloma Tejero.
The Arroyo de Las Cárcavas park, one of the green lungs of Pozuelo de Alarcón, now bears a new name: Miguel Ángel Blanco. The Town Hall held a tribute last night to the Ermua councillor murdered by ETA 29 years ago, coinciding with the anniversary of his kidnapping and death.
A tribute with the sister of the murdered councillor
The event was attended by the mayor, Paloma Tejero, and the senator María del Mar Blanco, president of the foundation that bears her brother's name. Both spoke to emphasise the need to keep alive the memory of the victims of terrorism.
“It is important for new generations to know that many Spaniards gave their lives to defend democracy and freedom,” the mayor pointed out. María del Mar Blanco added that the park will serve as “a permanent reminder” for the residents.
“Parents and grandparents who walk every day with their children and grandchildren will be able to explain to them who Miguel Ángel was and why he was murdered.”
The regional deputy José Virgilio Menéndez, also a victim of ETA, read the foundation's manifesto for this anniversary. Afterwards, the councillor's sister and the mayor laid a bouquet of flowers next to the monolith with the inscription: “In eternal memory of Miguel Ángel Blanco, may his memory endure as a symbol of those who gave their lives for the freedom of all Spaniards against ETA terrorism.”
An emblematic park for remembrance
The Arroyo de Las Cárcavas park is a green area frequently visited by families in Pozuelo. With the name change, the Town Hall aims for the tribute to have a daily impact on the lives of residents. “It is a meeting place, for walking and for children to play,” explained Tejero.
The event concluded with a minute of silence for all victims of terrorism and the performance of the Spanish National Anthem by the municipal band La Lira de Pozuelo. Members of the National and Municipal Police, SEAPA, Civil Protection, all the councillors of the corporation, as well as senators and national and regional deputies attended.
For residents, the park will now serve as a daily reminder of the fight against terrorism. “It is a gesture that touches us all,” commented a neighbour who attended the tribute. “My children will grow up knowing who Miguel Ángel Blanco was.”
29 years since the crime that moved Spain
Miguel Ángel Blanco, a PP councillor in Ermua, was kidnapped by ETA on July 10, 1997. Two days later, he was found with a bullet wound to the head on the outskirts of Lasarte (Guipúzcoa) and died shortly after. His murder provoked a wave of outrage and mobilisations across the country, known as the “spirit of Ermua.”
The Pozuelo de Alarcón Town Hall wanted to join the remembrance events with this initiative, which turns the park into a symbol of freedom and memory. Residents will be able to visit the monolith and participate in future events organised in this space.
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