Spain, a free and non-denominational State …ha!
The Spanish State is declared, with the blow from the mortarboard and the cassock, as a secular and non-denominational State. At the same time, the Agreements and divine entwines are multiplying everywhere without lessening their abundant benefits.
Just an example: between 2008 and 2013, the Regional Government of Madrid has destined the not inconsiderable amount of 16.551.332 Euros as an agreement with the ecclesiastical Province of Madrid just in terms of an investment in the Cultural Heritage.
Besides, the Catholic Church has received other “gifts” and supports such as the amount of money –more that 6,500.000 Euros- that the same Regional Department has given to property restoration concepts and real estate. All this money, coming from the Public expenses, has been used to restore and maintain the organs of the churches, among other issues.
As a total amount, just including the public items of Cultural Heritage, between 2008 and 2013 the Spanish Catholic Church has received more than 20 million euros for its “charitable support”. This total amount would increase if we add the contributions from the Ministry of Education and other Public Departments. All this money would be able to have been destined to another essential public services such as Health or Education, withdrawn from other culture purposes or from the restoration of some of the damaged streets and highways of Madrid’s Region.
In our point of view, this was not a simple financial contribution. We are seeing the indirect backup of the Catholic Church –as the only religious confession benefited by our public money- when not the concealed financing of a single religious creed and its powerful system.
When Mr. Alberto Ruiz Gallardon –the current Spanish Ministry of Justice- was the President of the Madrid Regional Government built a Public University (The “Rey Juan Carlos” University) and delivered it with full equipment to the Catholic’s wing called Opus Dei. This is a remarkable example of how the shadows of the cassock arrive to the most hidden corners of the State. In other case, Mr. Alfredo Urdaci –a Spanish Journalist who worked in Public Television -, also related to confessionals, cassocks and incense, threats with returning to the public television, from where he was set apart after to be accused of use of the public television with political end. At the same time, Mr. Jose María Aznar –the former Spanish Prime Ministry - has recently announced that he will not refuse his responsibility and his duty with Spain, as a likely return to the political arena.
(C) Czuko Williams /Demotix 2013 All rights reserved
Spain, far from abandoning and overcoming its past, it enjoys it. Under the shadow of its churches and under the canopies of its bishops, the country walks again, towards the shadows of a past that, unmistakably, was not better.
Recently, as an example of the loss of rights, the spokesmen of the government have declared their opposition to the proposal of measures that guarantee the journalistic independence in regards of the political powers at the representation of the top European Union Agencies. Again, in extreme communion, the Spanish State is organized over the pillars of the Catholic faith and the Authority. God and the Government are fancied like the maximums –and unique- necessary references to guarantee, for example, the appointments of the current President of Regional Government of Madrid, Mr. Ignacio González and the current Mayor of the capital, Ms. Ana Botella –besides, wife of the former president Mr. Aznar-.
The light of the reason and the pure democracy seem to be lost in a country thrown with fury toward the old abyss of yesterday, ridden on the dragon of unemployment and the financial and moral crisis.
(C) Czuko Williams /Demotix 2013 All rights reserved
