• Ex-Minister Utrera Molina was wanted for questioning on human rights charges
• Mourners give Spanish fascist salute, sing banned Falangista ‘Cara al Sol’ hymn
One of the last cabinet ministers to serve during the 1939-75 dictatorship under Spain’s Gen. Francisco Franco died last week and was buried Saturday near Malaga after a funeral ceremony that saw some mourners giving the fascist salute.
At the time of his death, 91-year-old José Utrera Molina was wanted for questioning along with 18 other Franco-era officials on an international warrant issued by Argentine Judge Maria Servini in relation to human rights abuses under the Franco regime. As Justice minister in 1974, Utrera Molina was co-signatory of an order of execution by garroting (slow strangulation) of a 25-year-old Catalan anarchist, who was charged and convicted by a military court in 1974 for the murder of a Civil Guard officer.
During the funeral procession for Utrera Molina, several mourners raised their hands in the fascist salute and reportedly intoned the hymn of Spain’s fascist Falange party, Cara al sol.
Molina’s son-in-law Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, a former Mayor of Madrid from 2003-2011 and Justice Minister from 2011-13 under the conservative governing Partido Popular (PP) government of President Mariano Rajoy, was among the pallbearers at the funeral
► Read More in Spanish at La Opinión de Malaga and Público…
► Read More in English at TheLocal.es and The Olive Press …
