The Spanish government has postponed the approval of the decree to exhume the dictator Francisco Franco from the Valle de los Caídos ("Valley of the Fallen"). In a press conference this morning, prime minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the decision "has been taken" and that it will happen, but that they need "all guarantees" confirmed first.
The Valle de los Caídos was set up by Francisco Franco near Madrid to bury and honour the dead from both sides of the Spanish Civil War. Because of questions over the labour force which built the complex, Franco himself being buried in the basilica and the site receiving government funding it has become a focus of considerable controversy in Spain.
"If we've waited 40 years, a few more weeks don't matter," he said. The prime minister guaranteed that his government will fulfil its promise to remove the dictator's remains from the site. They had originally said the exhumation would take place before the August break.
The Spanish government says it is currently working on approving an order to allow him to be exhumed, but they didn't bring a proposal before the final cabinet meeting before the holiday this Friday. They have been in contact with both the church, which owns the basilica Franco is buried in, and the dictator's family, who oppose moving his body elsewhere.