Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy has published a video on social media which includes a long, ostentatious shot of him walking past a huge monument to his country's former fascist dictator Francisco Franco. The monument is located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where Rajoy is attending the so-called Winter School held by his political group, the PP (Popular Party).
The video, published on Saturday, shows Rajoy and several companions taking an exercise walk down Tenerife's Rambla de Santa Cruz, a street which until ten years ago was named Rambla del General Franco, and which ends with the monument that was built in honour of the dictator. The 8-second shot deliberately frames the controversial monument and as Rajoy enters the frame he turns his head to the right to look at it. After the walking group leaves frame, the shot continues so that viewers can get a good view of the fascist work.
Estupenda caminata con @asierantona en #Tenerife, #FelizSábado. pic.twitter.com/zZNmFUOYhQ
— Mariano Rajoy Brey (@marianorajoy) 3 de marzo de 2018
Translation: Superb walk with Asier Antona in Tenerife. Happy Saturday - Mariano Rajoy.
Accompanying Rajoy on the walk were the PP's leader in the Canary Islands, Asier Antona; the public works minister, Íñigo de la Serna; a PP delegate, Carlos Ester; and the mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, Lope Alfonso.
The monument depicts an angel flying with outstretched wings, and alludes to the plane which Franco took from the Canary Islands to the Spanish mainland to begin the military coup of 1936. This coup became the start of the bloody Spanish civil war, eventually won by Franco, who then established a dictatorship over Spain that lasted for four decades.
Complaints about the failure to remove the monument or change its significance have been repeatedly made to the city council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, but there has been no response from the council, jointly led by local party Canarian Coalition and the PP.