After her death at the age of 84 this Saturday, Concha Velasco has returned to her homeland to receive the last goodbye from the people of Valladolid. Since early in the morning, the Reception Hall of the Valladolid City Council – adorned with funeral garlands and portraits of the eternal yeyé girl – has been open to the public so that all those who wished could pay their respects in the book of condolences. Other residents have gathered in the streets of the Castilian-Leonese city along the route of the funeral procession to the cathedral. For those who could not enter the temple, screens were installed outside to be able to follow the mass.
At 12:00 p.m. the funeral procession arrived at the Calderón Theater escorted by eight Municipal Police motorcycles, where the residents gathered there received Concha Velasco with a long and emotional ovation. Moments later, the mayor of the capital of Pisuerga, Jesús Julio Carnero, and the first deputy mayor, Irene Carvajal, placed a wreath on the hearse that read ‘Teatro Calderón’ and a bouquet of white roses with the legend “Concha Velasco, Valladolid will never forget you”. The few silences that occurred during the tribute were broken with applause from the spectators and shouts of “long live Concha Velasco!”
After the moving tribute, the procession headed to the Cathedral of Valladolid, where Archbishop Luis Argüello officiated an emotional funeral mass that brought together his relatives – among them his sons Manuel and Paco – and important political figures. During the funeral, Concha’s eldest son, Manuel Velasco, dedicated some emotional words to her: “If anyone deserves to be in heaven, it is our mother, because she was a great person. She was just another Valladolid native, but one of the most beloved. They are “Strange, sad days. The only shame is that our mother cannot be watching this display of affection and authentic devotion. We know that she is seeing this recognition from heaven. Many thanks to Valladolid and to all of Spain.”
After leaving the cathedral amid more shouts of “long live Concha!”, the hearse headed towards the Carmen Cemetery, where the remains of the actress were buried in the Pantheon of Illustrious Persons. Resting there, among others, are the writers Miguel Delibes, Rosa Chacel and Narciso Alonso Cortés, the poets José Zorrilla and Emilio Ferrari, the dancer Vicente Escudero, the scientist Pío del Río Hortega, the journalist Ricardo Macías Picavea, the architect Jerónimo Ortiz de Urbina or Admiral Torroella.
Among those attending the funeral were the president of the Board, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, the ministers Ana Redondo and Óscar Puente and the Government delegate, Virginia Barcones. The former mayor of Valladolid and current Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has praised the figure of the interpreter at the doors of the temple, whom he has described as the most complete actress that has existed in Spain in the 20th century and a “very great vallisoletana”. “I have met very few people who have such a sense of belonging and such pride in being from this city. And they deserve it all,” said the minister before the citizens welcomed the actress’s coffin.
For her part, the Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, has praised Velasco for being a “transversal, consensual, socialist” woman. “We have all enjoyed it, we have all laughed and enjoyed it and now it is fair to say goodbye. It leaves a gap absolutely impossible to fill,” she summarized.
