In Pamplona there were whistles and boos directed at María Chivite on 12 October. The president of the Comunidad Foral Navarre attended the ceremony of the Guardia Civil for the Virgen del Pilar and the Fiesta Nacional According to the organisers and consistent media reports, some of those present voiced their disapproval of the regional premier as she arrived in front of the Comandancia The Spanish central government’s delegate in Navarra, Alicia Echeverría, was also booed.
The Guardia Civil briefly interrupted proceedings and called for calm and respect over loudspeakers. The announcement noted that this was an institutional event, with Spain’s flag on parade as a state symbol, and a commemoration of the fallen. After the appeal, the ceremony continued without further heckling. Several hundred people attended, including representatives of the security forces, family members and veterans.
The event was held on 12 October, when the Fiesta Nacional is celebrated throughout Spain . On the same date, the Guardia Civil also celebrates the Virgen del Pilar, the patron saint of the force. This year, María Chivite’s attendance at the event in Pamplona coincided with her absence from the military parade in Madrid; she had attended it on some occasions in previous years. The organisers did not comment on the reasons for the expressions of disapproval.
The documented whistles and the announcement over loudspeakers are substantiated events at the scene. No political assessments or broader conclusions were available immediately after the ceremony. Neither the Navarra government nor the Spanish central government’s delegation in Navarra initially issued statements about the incident. Whether the episode in Pamplona will prompt further political reactions remains unclear.
During the ceremony, the Guardia Civil emphasised the institutional nature of the commemoration. This was intended to ensure that the official programme — including the raising of the flag and the tribute to the dead — could proceed without disruption. After the intervention, the planned proceedings continued without any security-related incidents.
The incident therefore remains a local event within the nationwide celebrations in Spain, which attracted particular attention in Navarra because it involved senior representatives of the country and the region.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).