Mayor sued for refusing to change Alhaurin village’s name

THE MAYOR of Alhaurin el Grande, Toñi Ledesma, is being sued after refusing to change the name of Villafranco del Guadalhorce, Malaga.

Eduardo Ranz explained that “this hamlet was created around 50 years ago, and is the last place in Andalucia that refers Francisco Franco and his dictatorship.”

Ledesma contested stating that the town hall has no record of any formal complaints, and that “residents, political parties and neighbours have never raised the issue.” She maintained that she “would not be the mayor to change the name of the village without consulting its residents.”

In 2015 legislation was introduced which required the three ‘Francoist municipalities’, Bembezar del Cuadillo (Cordoba), Queipo de Llano (Seville) and Villafranco del Gualadhorce, to be renamed. In Cordoba and Seville the council have adhered to the law, changing the names in line with “the Spanish Constitution and the rule of the law.”

Jose Sanchez, president of the Malaga Association of Historic Memory, denounced the council for their lack of action.

“Imagine if we had a village called ‘Villa de Hitler’ or ‘Villa de Mussolini’, we would all like to change that,” he added.