Spain has banned Francoist symbols. So why is the country still full of kitsch cafes glorifying the dictator? | Abbas Asaria

"Una Grande Libre reads the sign above the entrance to a bar-restaurant in Madrid's Usera neighbourhood. This was Francisco Franco's motto for Spain one, great, free and it is accompanied by a large portrait of the dictator superimposed on to the window. The exteriors of El Cangrejo in Ciudad Real and Casa Pepe in Despenaperros are a little bit more subtle, but not much: decorated ostentatiously in the red and yellow of the Spanish flag. The accompanying historical symbols on display, such as the yoke and arrows of the Falange and the Eagle of San Juan, remove any doubt: the year is 2026 and you have encountered one of Spain's network of bars and restaurants that proudly glorify Franco and his dictatorship."

"Portraits of the dictator are non-negotiable in these restaurants: you'll find them on the tables in Avila's El Rincon Nacional, for example, alongside the 1kg steaks they serve. Una Grande Libre has a stone bust of Franco on display, alongside numerous pictures of him on the walls, while Restaurante El Cangrejo has the most unique version I've come across, where they've Photoshopped El Caudillo into a Real Madrid shirt. After a meal of rustic Spanish fare, order a coffee and you'll find the packets of sugar pay tribute to the 1981 attempted military coup."

"You may well hear the Francoist anthem Cara Al Sol being played on the speakers. The owner, Jose Antonio Delgado, is known to play it several times a day and he answers the phone with Arriba, Espana Arise, Spain another Francoist motto. Casa Pepe even has a shop attached, where, in addition to a variety of cheeses and cured meats, you can buy all ki"

Bars and restaurants in Madrid and other Spanish towns display Francoist imagery and slogans on entrances, walls, tables, and even food-related items. Some venues use overt mottos such as “Una Grande Libre” with portraits of Francisco Franco, while others decorate in Spanish-flag colors and include Falange yoke-and-arrows and the Eagle of San Juan. Franco portraits appear alongside steaks, and Franco busts and photos are placed throughout interiors. Some places incorporate Franco into popular culture, including a Photoshopped image on a Real Madrid shirt. Sugar packets reference the 1981 attempted military coup, and Francoist music such as “Cara al Sol” is played repeatedly. Owners use Francoist greetings when answering phones.

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