Singing the Cara al Sol outside Moncloa now has official approval

Cara al Sol outside Moncloa: the anthem returns to the streets

Picture the scene: a group of demonstrators, permit granted, standing in front of the gates of Moncloa, the Spanish prime minister's residence, singing the Cara al Sol. The image, debated in political circles, divides between those who see it as an exercise in free speech and those who consider it a tasteless provocation. Some go further and suggest bringing an orchestra along, or calling it for 8 o'clock so nothing is missing.

The anthem tied to Francoism thus finds itself once again at the centre of a controversy mixing historical memory and the right to protest. One camp argues that banning it would be worthy of a dictatorship; another replies that the singing solves nothing and that the "wristband patriots" don't amount to much. Irony runs rampant: some suggest turning the protest into a karaoke session, others call for gathering outside another country's embassy instead. The jabs reach the PSOE (Spain's Socialist Party) and the far right, each with its own version of free speech.

The most striking thing about the exchange is not the anthem itself, but how easily a hypothetical rally becomes a test of political loyalty. While some speak of a "song to life", others see a "song to death", and the debate gets stuck in the mud of insults. Until someone clarifies whether the permit is real or just a stunt, one uncomfortable certainty remains: the Cara al Sol is still, to this day, a magnet for anger in Spain.