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Spain begins 10 days of mourning for coronavirus victims

May 27, 2020

A minute's silence was held in Spain to commence the mourning process, with both the Spanish king and the prime minister keen to pay their respects. The country has suffered more than 27,000 deaths from COVID-19.

Members of the Guadia Civil stand at attention during the minute of silence
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/E. Briones

Spain has reported more than 27,000 deaths from COVID-19 and King Felipe VI led the hard-hit country at midday local time (10 a.m. GMT) in a minute's silence from the Zarzuela Palace on the outskirts of Madrid. The king and his family were dressed all in black and stood in front of a Spanish flag that was one of more than 14,000 at half-mast on public buildings across the country.

Members of the royal family honor the thousands of people who have died of the coronavirus in SpainImage: picture-alliance/dpa/Casa de SM El Rey

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and other lawmakers took part in the Spanish parliament, while health workers and other citizens also halted activities to honor those that had lost their lives due to the pandemic.

Read more: Spain to reopen to foreign tourists from July

Sanchez tweeted his respects along with a video of him and his colleagues during the minute's silence, "The pain and recognition of all of Spain to those who have died of COVID-19. Your memory will always remain with us."

The official mourning until June 5 is the longest in Spain since the restoration of democracy in the late 1970s.

Ranks of poor swell in Spain

03:23

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John Silk Editor and writer for English news, as well as the Culture and Asia Desks.@JSilk
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