Colaboración institucional y regionalista de Extremadura en el proyecto de mancomunidad onuboextremeña (1931-1936)

Abstract

Since Ancient times there has been a political and economic link between the south of theprovince of Badajoz and Western Andalusia. Within the framework of romantic historicism, theopening of the Zafra-Valdelamusa-Huelva railway line made it possible for Extremadura tostrengthen ties with the province of Huelva at the end of the 19th century. The “regionalquestion” resurfaces when the 1931 Republican Constitution allows for the autonomous regime.Hence, the Liberalist Junta of Andalusia commissioned the Provincial Council of Seville,chaired by Hermenegildo Casas, to convene an assembly to draft a Statute. The project, outlinedby Casas and which invites Badajoz to join the Andalusian autonomy, crystallizes in theapproval of a Preliminary Draft of Bases in the Assembly of Córdoba (1933). However, the ideais opposed by some Andalusian provinces, including Huelva. Contrary to the Sevillianmonopoly, the Huelva constituency and the operator Manuel Pérez thus undertook a presscampaign and various institutional contacts with Extremadura to form a Commonwealth. In ourregion, the initiative is supported by bourgeois sectors (Cáceres and Badajoz Chambers ofCommerce, Badajoz Press Association), or some personalities such as Juan Muñoz Casillas, orJosé Díaz-Ambrona. Protected by its historical twinning or common Colombian past, thisposition is fundamentally due to economic reasons, especially linked to the Olvisino Port or theZafra Railway Company. But the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War and the repression of theregionalist movement banished such projects.