Early this month, in a simple ritual, Ms. Camacho stood silent and dry-eyed as the remains of her mother and two neighbors killed that night by Franco supporters were lowered in coffins into the damp ground.

His father, a Franco supporter and a conservative Roman Catholic, was angrily opposed to his son's leaving.

This later became a topic of controversy when the news media in Madrid reported that the name of long-time Real Madrid chairman and Franco supporter, Santiago Bernabéu, had been commemorated in this way.

Mr. Jáuregui said that Franco supporters had recently vandalized his summer home, painting a warning across his door that said, "The valley is not to be touched."

The six-month-old socialist government has already pledged to study proposals to turn the Valley of the Fallen - where several thousand Franco supporters will gather on November 20 to mark his death - into a place "that serves to denounce Francoism rather than praise it."

Accordingly, the 20th of November is annually commemorated by large crowds of Franco supporters and various Falange successor movements and individuals, flocking to the Requiem Masses held for the repose of the souls of their political leaders.

Arthur Koestler was locked up by Franco supporters.

Harold Cardozo of The Daily Mail, a Franco supporter, traveled with him.

However, during the Spanish Civil War, members of both clubs such as Josep Sunyol and Rafael Sánchez Guerra suffered at the hands of Franco supporters.

Later this became the centre of controversy when media in Madrid picked up reports that one of the stones was inscribed with the name of long-time Real Madrid chairman and Franco supporter Santiago Bernabéu.