Pedro Sánchez visits the Valley of Cuelgamuros to see the recovery of 160 victims claimed by their families for himself

Valley of Cuelgamuros, San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid)

The head of the Executive made a visit to the forensic laboratory of the Valle de Cuelgamuros, where he saw first-hand the work being carried out for the exhumation of 160 victims, whose remains have been claimed by their relatives and are in the crypts of this building belonging to National Heritage, whose redevelopment as a future memorial interpretation centre is being proposed by the Government.

After touring the central nave of the basilica, the president, accompanied by the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, and the Secretary of State for Democratic Memory, Fernando Martínez, went to the forensic laboratory and then to the crypts or columbaria where the remains are located. A technical team made up of six forensic doctors and more than 20 researchers specialising in history, archaeology and genetics are taking part in the work of locating and identifying the remains.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, accompanied by the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memor, Ángel Víctor Torres, upon his arrival in the Cuelgamuros Valley | Pool Moncloa/Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

In the laboratory, the forensic team explained the work carried out there, consisting mainly of locating the labelled boxes in the columbaria, the anthropological, dental and radiological study of the remains extracted, the taking of samples for DNA analysis, as well as the preparation of reports, photographs and videos of the process. A commendable task that forms part of the specific plan of action in the Valley of Cuelgamuros, established by the Secretary of State for Democratic Memory, and which has been configured as a forensic investigation project in accordance with international standards. In addition, the project has the collaboration of the University of Granada, the University of Barcelona, the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences (Ministry of Justice) and the Forensics Unit of the National Police.

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, receives explanations from the team working on the location and identification of the buried remains | Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

Inside the columbaria, they were able to see for themselves the work carried out, the arrangement of the boxes with the remains in their original position, which were very deteriorated, and the new boxes, given that the work is being used to improve the location of the remains.

Last March, during his appearance before the Constitutional Commission of the Lower House of Parliament, Ángel Víctor Torres pointed out that, up to that moment, the recovery work had resulted in the discovery of box 198, and the exhumation of the 12 victims murdered in 1936 in Aldeaseca and Fuente de Sauz (Ávila). Of these, 11 have been genetically identified and their remains have been handed over to their families.

In addition, this Tuesday the Council of Ministers analysed a report on the development of the Law on Democratic Memory and its impact on the regional governments, while also studying possible actions in the face of proposals from some of them governed by the PP and VOX, aimed at repealing the regulation on democratic memory.

The minister recalled that the Law on Democratic Memory enjoyed broad consensus in Parliament, is an instrument for recognising the victims of the Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship, and is based on the defence and protection of human rights.

Non official translation