Franco family refuse to let Galicia mansion go

THE descendants of the late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco are determined not to relinquish the Pazo de Meiras without a struggle.

The 19th century mansion in Sado (Galicia) was Franco’s summer residence as well as the temporary seat of Spain’s government and a La Coruña court has ruled that it is state property.

“Not so,” disagree  lawyers representing the Franco clan, who claim that the judge in charge of the case, Marta Canales, took into account “historic, political and/or purely moral reasons” that favoured the Spanish government.

The judge should have considered only “exclusively legal arguments,” the lawyers said.

Canales had preduced a scenario that spoke “badly, very badly” of their clients’ grandfather, complained the legal team.

They are planning an appeal, asking the La Coruña High Court to overturn Canales’ ruling while claiming the legal costs incurred up to now.

Although the Franco family admit that their grandfather paid nothing for the mansion, they continue to insist that the 1941 deed of sale identifying him as the purchaser, should be considered valid.