The cost of restoring the cathedral bell towers, destroyed by the earthquake of 1950, had been met by General Franco’s government, and as a gesture of gratitude the band was ordered to play the Spanish national anthem. As the first chords sounded, the bishop’s red headdress locked itself into position as he moved his arms about like a puppet. “Stop, stop, there’s been a mistake,” he whispered, while the indignant voice of a Spaniard could be heard, “Two years’ work, and they play this!” I couldn’t say whether with good intentions or otherwise, the band had struck up the Spanish Republican anthem.
E. Guevara, The motorcycle diaries (1967), tr. A. March (2003), 91
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