César Evangelio receives 'Miquel Llinares Barceló' award in Benidorm

In the municipal Assembly Hall the delivery of 'Miquel Llinares Barceló' award was celebrated and organized by Benidorm City Council and Frax Foundation. The lawyer and researcher, César Evangelio obtained the coveted award for his work based on the Benidorm privateer Juan Bautista Pérez who took care of the relics of the Valencia Cathedral, during the Spanish War of Independence, in the waters of Benidorm.

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, together with part of the government team and other councilors attended the event; Admiral Marcial Gamboa Pérez-Pardo; the Colonel of the Marine Infantry and Deputy Delegate for Defense in Alicante, Juan Bosco; the Captain and Naval Commander of Alicante, Joaquín Vergara; Navy Lieutenant Francisco Zaragoza Ivars; the president of the Frax Foundation, Matías Pérez Such; and the granddaughter of Admiral Julio Guillén Tato, Mª José Guillén.

Before the award ceremony, Admiral Gamboa gave the conference 'The Navy of the Enlightenment. The foundations of the current Navy', on a day, July 3, in which the anniversary of the naval battle of Santiago de Cuba is commemorated, during the Spanish-American war, in which the son of Benidorm lost his life, Francisco Zaragoza Such, Constable Zaragoza, a figure that stood out, especially during his speech.

Gamboa has analyzed the situation experienced in Spain in the 18th century after the War of Succession that led to the loss of naval power and the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht and, later, the need to modernize the navy, which was achieved thanks to figures like that of Jorge Juan from Novel, who contributed to the design of the Navy and its contribution to the development of Spanish science.

The admiral highlighted the role played by the Royal Academy of Marine Guards of Cádiz, an initiative of Jorge Juan, among others, and the numerous scientific expeditions that began to be carried out throughout the seas, with special emphasis on the Malaspina expedition around the world.

After the conference, the mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, gave the award to César Evangelio, who thanked all the attendees for the recognition received.

Next, and closing the act, Toni Pérez has made it clear that "knowing the naval history of our country is also knowing the history of Benidorm" due to the link between the city and the sea. And he valued the figure of the privateers who "were good people", although one might think that they were outlaws. The mayor specified that in Benidorm "they were authentic masters of the sea", highlighting the figure of Juan Bautista Pérez who was one of them, "but there were more", he added.

Toni Pérez recalled the figure of Guillén Tato, "an admiral in love with Benidorm", who personally designed such outstanding urban enclaves "such as Plaça de la Senyoria, Carreró dels Gats, or Costera del Barco".

The mayor apreciated that "this town has its past, its present in the sea and that it takes great care of the sea because our future is in it."

Finally, Toni Pérez has revealed that, just as Juan Bautista Pérez used part of his profits at sea to cast bells that he would later donate to the Church, which still rings today in the bell towers of the area, César Evangelio has decided to donate the full amount received in the award to the Parish of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna, which was received by the public with loud applause.