Spanish congress passes motion to exhume body of Franco

The Spanish congress on Thursday passed a motion to exhume the body of Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain from 1939 to his death in 1975, from its resting place in the "Valle de los Caidos" (Valley of the Fallen).

The congress voted in favor of removing Franco's body with 172 votes, 164 abstentions and two votes against.

Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said the decision had to be taken for "ethical reasons which stem from democratic values," adding that it was "an anomaly" to have a "dictator in a state mausoleum, where he can be exhausted."

"It is time to take the country out of this shame ... there can be no respect, no honor and no harmony while Franco's remains are in the same place as those of his victims."