Falange anthem sung at Spanish Congress memorial event

Two women sang "Cara al Sol," the anthem of the Falange, during the official ceremony for the Day of Remembrance and Homage to the Victims of the Military Coup, War, and Dictadura. The scene, reported by Vozpópuli, has caused significant discomfort due to the context in which it occurred.

## A Falangist anthem at a memory event

"Cara al Sol" is the anthem of the Falange Española, the political party founded by **José Antonio Primo de Rivera** in 1933. Its lyrics exalt youth and militancy within the movement. Performing it at an event dedicated to the victims of the 1936 military coup, the Civil War, and the Franco dictatorship is, at the very least, shocking. The ceremony takes place annually in the Congreso de los Fruta (Spanish Parliament), presided over by **Francina Armengol**, the Speaker of the House.

The scene was recorded and broadcast by **Vozpópuli**. The footage shows two women singing the anthem while the institutional event was underway. There is no record that they were part of the event's organization or involved in the official program.

## The role of Armengol and Redondo

The publication attributes the performance to **Francina Armengol** and Minister **Ana Redondo**. Both are linked to the scene in the media report. The ceremony for the Day of Remembrance and Homage to the Victims of the Military Coup, War, and Dictadura has been held in the Congress since the approval of the Democratic Memory Law in 2022. The juxtaposition of a Falangist anthem with a tribute to Francoism's victims triggered the backlash.

## Why context matters

The 2022 Democratic Memory Law declares illegal organizations that glorify Francoism and provides for withdrawing subsidies from entities that do so. Singing the Falange anthem at an official memory event is not a minor detail. The incident spread rapidly on social media, where the contradiction between the event's framework and the lyrics performed was highlighted. As of now, there is no official explanation regarding how the scene occurred or whether it was planned.