The Spanish site, La Informacion suggested that Francis was taking a cue from Manuela Carmena and copying what was donein the neighborhoods of San Blas-Canillejas and Puente de Vallecas.  In 2015 Manuela Carmena became the Mayor of Madrid, Spain.  She is an ex-communist who was an opponent of the Catholic dictator, Francisco Franco, and regularly sued him in court.  Earlier in December 2015, Carmena had said the government didn’t want to change history and in the next breathe she proceeded to call for women to be allowed to dress as men to play the three kings in the Ride of Kings (la Cabalgata de los Reyes).  Another reason given was that it would help the visibility of women in Spanish culture! MORE