Axarquía village twins with US towns thanks to Independence War hero

Macharaviaya in the Axarquía on the eastern stretch of Malaga province continues to strengthen its ties with the USA thanks to the connection with Bernardo de Gálvez, one of the heroes of the American War of Independence, who was born in the village. Last Friday 13 October the village signed a twinning agreement with the towns of Socorro and San Elizario in Texas, USA.

Mayor of Macharaviaya Antonio Campos, president of the Malaga institution Miguel Tello and representatives of the society of the Cultural Heritage of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro hosted the ceremony, which took place in Malaga and was also attended by the mayor of Socorro, Ivy Avalos, the mayor of San Elizario, Isela Reyes.

Socorro and San Elizario are both located on the border between the USA and Mexico and according to data from the 2010 census Socorro has a population of around 32,000 inhabitants. San Elizario has a population of just under 14,000 - somewhat larger their Spanish twin Macharaviaya, which has a population of just 500.

The ceremony formed part of the 'Talking to Spain. Abriendo el Camino' (opening the path), by the Sociedad del Patrimonio del Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. The speakers were Alfonso Borrego, J. Ricardo Daniel, Georgina Vigueras and Víctor Andrés Urbano, who talked about the Spanish legacy in on the border between Texas and Mexico. The 'Camino Real de Tierra Adentro', also known as the 'Camino de la Plata', is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

It is a route from northern Mexico to Texas and New Mexico which used between the 16th and 19th centuries. The road, often travelled by the Spaniards who built these cities is a 1,400-kilometre stretch that runs between Mexico City and the town of Valle de Allende, south of Chihuahua. The route takes in five World Heritage cities and 55 other sites including bridges, ex-haciendas, towns and historic centres.