On Tuesday, the city of Toledo witnessed a day that “will go down in history,” in the words of the city’s mayor, Carlos Velasquez, with… Inauguration of the statue of Maria Pachecothe most symbolic female figure in the societal movement and one of the most prominent female figures … Influential figures in Spain in the sixteenth century.
The event, full of symbolism and advocacy, brought together authorities, cultural leaders and the sculptor of the work, Julio Martín de Vidales, who admitted that he felt deeply moved to see his third piece installed in the city of his birth. “It causes me a lot of insomnia, but I feel very satisfied.”.
Dulzaina La Sagra provided music at the statue’s opening ceremony
The statue, erected in front of the former Toledo Community Leadership headquarters, represents the City Council exercising historical justice. “We are indebted to the first Spanish heroine,” Velasquez said, emphasizing that the city had become the first in Spain to have two statues dedicated to civil marriage: Juan de Padilla and María Pacheco. «He gave up everything for the cause of freedom and rights. “Toledo resisted thanks to the leadership of this great woman,” he noted.
presence Pipers la Sagra He puts the emotional touch on a day that recaptures the Castilian spirit of resistance and freedom associated with the character of María Pacheco.
Equality, memory and resistance
If there is a common thread in institutional interventions, it is the defense of Maria Pacheco’s fully egalitarian and political role. President of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano Garcia PageShe highlighted her importance as a female figure ahead of her time, adding that the member of society “was a resistor, a fighter, participated, gave his opinion, and took responsibility.” I say this to those who still cling to the difference between men and women.».
The page has framed the opening inside The historical battle against privilegethe core of the communal movement, is defined as a “democratic precedent” in the sense of how people demanded a voice before the arrival of Emperor Charles V.
Moreover, on May 31, the regional leader acknowledged one of his wishes The annual flower show is institutionalized In honor of the communal couple, a historical precedent for the autonomous community.
Recovering feminist references
For his part, the regional president of the Cortes, Pablo Bellido, noted that Maria Pacheco was “the most important woman of the sixteenth century,” but A woman that history wanted to erase. “Charles V wanted to hide this. He died in exile in Porto. “Today we are reclaiming it to generate feminist references,” she said.
This vision is shared by the Minister of Culture, Amador Pastor, who explained this work “It reconciles us with an invisible part of history, which is women’s history.”In addition to highlighting that the statue is directed towards the Castilla-La Mancha Library, the “House of Knowledge”, and as a metaphor for its heritage it is presented An outstretched hand calls for calm and contemplation.
With this action, Toledo not only honors a key figure in the mass uprising, but also reinforces an unambiguous message: Without women, history is incomplete. Maria Pacheco stands on the bronze medal to remember that the struggle for equality comes from afar, and that His legacy remains a beacon for the present.