Post by pigeonpie on May 22, 2010 12:45:54 GMT
Fiftieth anniversary of Franco’s visit to Menorca
Last week saw the 50th anniversary of an event which has remained unforgotten among many older Menorcan citizens: Francisco Franco Bahamonde, Spain’s head of state for nearly 40 years, visited the island on 11th May 1960.
Historic issues of the Diario Insular Menorca reveal the immense propaganda that accompanied the dictator’s visit: on the eve of his arrival several pages celebrated the achievements of “20 years of Franco’s Government”, particularly with regard to the development of Menorca’s infrastructure.
On the day of his arrival - a Wednesday - Franco was greeted by the headline “Welcome to the Caudillo” next to an immense portrait photo of him, and on the following Thursday much of Menorca’s newspaper was devoted to reports and photos reviewing the visit.
According to these documents Franco entered Maó harbour around 1100 hrs. on board the cruiser “Galicia” which was accompanied by an escort of destroyers. An enthusiastic crowd had gathered in the streets of Menorca’s capital to welcome and celebrate him, as was quite customary in the Spain of those days – authorities and media always made great efforts to mobilise people in order to cultivate Franco’s image as popular ‘Caudillo’ and alleged rescuer of Spain.
Upon his arrival the head of state was received by local dignitaries and proceeded to deliver his first speech. This was followed by the visit’s two main highlights, the inauguration of Menorca’s thermal power plant and a visit to Maó’s new hospital. After lunch at the Hotel Port Mahón Franco travelled across the island to Ciutadella where he was again received by the local authorities and gave another speech. On the way he passed through Alaior, Es Mercadal and Ferreries. Enthusiastic citizens had gathered in all municipalities, in order to get a glimpse of the rare guest.
The new thermal power plant in the Port of Maó – which was officially inaugurated by Franco on 11th May 1960 – constituted the backbone of Menorca’s proceeding electrification in the 1960s. By the late 1950’s the electricity utility Gas y Electricidad S.A. (GESA, today part of Gesa Endesa) had already made great efforts to upgrade the local power supply infrastructure. Power lines totalling 128 kilometres in length were fitted, 53 substations installed all over the island and two transformer stations set up in Es Mercadal and Ciutadella.
The thermal power plant itself, which had been constructed at a total cost of more than 40 million pesetas, was equipped with two groups of diesel generators and able to generate an output of up to 3,000 kW. 30,000 volt power lines transported the electricity generated here to the transformer stations at Es Mercadal and Ciutadella where the current voltage was reduced to 5,200 volts for onward supply to the substations.
Unsurprisingly, the inauguration of Menorca’s new power plant was extensively used for the propaganda accompanying Franco’s visit. Even the “first fruit” of his visit, as the local press called it, was connected to the provision of electricity for Menorca.
Immediately after Franco’s visit it was announced that the electricity tariffs for Menorca and Ibiza would be adjusted to those for Mallorca. A standardised tariff for the entire archipelago had been requested locally for some time, as the smaller islands had previously paid higher tariffs than Mallorca. The equalisation generated annual savings of about eight million pesetas in Menorca.
