This came from Pablo de Greiff , the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth , justice , reparation , and guarantees of non-repetition , and from the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances . In their two reports , following a visit to Spain , de Greiff highlighted the need to implement a policy of Truth , Justice , Reparation , and Guarantees of Non-Recurrence . These are the principles of transitional justice , endorsed by international law , and applied in countries with a traumatic past marked by mass human rights violations .
The approval of the new Democratic Memory Law in October 2022 , by the coalition government led by Pedro Sánchez , was an acknowledgement of this problem . It also provided an opportunity to move forward , albeit with difficulties , in a country where high political polarisation and the so-called “ culture wars ” spurred by the far right do not provide the best environment to emphasise the importance of remembering and learning from a “ dirty past ”.
References
José ÁLVAREZ JUNCO ( 2022 ), Qué hacer con un pasado sucio . Galaxia Gutenberg , Barcelona .
Samuel HUNTINGTON ( 1991 ): “ Democracy ’ s Third Wave ”, in Journal of Democracy , ( Spring ), pp . 12 – 34 .
Manuel LOFF ( 2024 ): “ A Revolução portuguesa ( 1974‐1976 ), um modelo específico de democratização no século XX ”, Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais , 133 , pp . 13-34 . DOI : 10.4000 / 11pr1
Conclusion
The memories of this period remain a vital and often controversial subject . The range of issues arising from the proposed comparison would reveal the nature of collective memory as inherently a field of conflict between different memories , as well as its impact on contemporary politics and society . These debates invite reflection on their importance and raise questions about how narratives of the past can and do shape our present and future .
Lastly , it is worth adding that these historical processes and their memories teach us about resistance , the struggle for freedom , and the complexity of political transitions . In other words , they remain relevant today , not only for understanding the past of both countries but also for reflecting on the current and future challenges and threats to the defence of democracy and human rights worldwide .
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