At the traditional Romería in honour of the Virgen de la Carrasca in Villahermosa (province of Ciudad Real) has José Manuel Caballero, second vice-president of the government of Castile-La Mancha, highlighted on 13 September 2026 the role of customs, festivals and community ties in village identity. He linked his appearance to the statement that the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha works continuously to ensure equal rights and comparable public services in rural communities and major cities alike.
The regional government said that such spaces for celebration and meeting shape the identity of many places and help keep tradition alive as part of everyday life. According to the Junta, this supports a policy that sees cultural heritage—both tangible and intangible—as a resource for regional development. It points to ongoing programmes to preserve cultural assets, restore historic buildings and recognise intangible traditions. These measures place Caballero’s appearance at the Romería in the broader context of cultural and structural policy.
The pilgrimage in Villahermosa has for decades been an important religious and cultural event in the Comarca. For the local organisers, the presence of a senior government representative brings additional public attention. From the municipality’s perspective, events like these can raise the profile of local initiatives and make it easier to access funding instruments. The regional government also stresses that specific funding decisions must be made on a project-by-project basis and supported by verifiable evidence.
Regardless of the symbolic effect of festivals such as the Romería, structural challenges remain in rural areas. These include demographic change, access to services, maintaining infrastructure and the long-term funding of cultural projects. According to the Junta, funding programmes and administrative simplification are intended to address these issues. The government of president Emiliano García-Page also maintains that cultural practices and social ties provide a foundation for supporting local initiatives and strengthening participation.
With its appearance in Villahermosa, the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha reaffirms its aim of bringing together cultural identity, territorial cohesion and equal living standards. The Romería in honour of the Virgen de la Carrasca is an example of a tradition that brings together religious, social and cultural elements and gives the region visible opportunities for people to meet and participate.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).