The president of the Assembly of Extremadura, Blanca Martín, received the award for Best Institutional Action, corresponding to the Commitment and Specialization category in the third edition of the 9 de Marzo awards. These awards are presented by the European Foundation for Missing Persons (QSD Global).
The jury valued that on the 9th of each month the Assembly of Extremadura calls for a minute of silence at the doors of the institution to remember the missing people in the region and show its support for the family members. Likewise, he highlighted “the message of unity and political consensus to make visible and demand progress in the investigations of missing persons” and considered “the importance of making the cause of disappearances visible on a regular basis.”
Martín, after receiving the award, dedicated the award to the relatives of the two Extremaduran women who remain missing, Manuela Chavero and Francisca Cadenas, and stated that “until they appear we will continue doing what is in our power.” Precisely, it was the relatives of these two women who were in charge of presenting the award to the regional Chamber.
At the event, the president was accompanied by the spokespersons of the four political forces represented in the chamber María Victoria Domínguez, from Ciudadanos, Álvaro Jaén, from Podemos, Luis Alfonso Hernández Carrón, from the Popular Party, and Valentín García, from the Socialist Party.
In his speech, Martín also thanked the work “of the State Security Forces and Bodies for the work they are doing,” to whom he also asked “not to forget and to continue working because they have to appear.”
Nor did he forget the citizens of the towns of Monesterio and Hornachos, where the missing women lived, whom he publicly acknowledged for their participation in the search operations.
Foundation
For the third consecutive year, the QSD Foundation presents these awards to recognize, promote and encourage actions, initiatives and research related to the reality of disappearances. In this edition, among the winners were: the Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard, for Best Police Action; the Ucas de Arrate Rescue Dog Association, for Best Social and Volunteer Action: the head of the Crimes Against Persons Area of the Central Section of Criminal Investigation and Judicial Police of the Ertzaintza, for the best Best Technological Application, and the journalist from La Razón, Belén Tobalina, for Best Informative Work.