The mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, assures that the city is improving and that the works on Las Teresitas will begin in the next term. Regarding the monument to Franco, he states that they will comply with the law and remove it if there is no other option.
The mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, surprised everyone this Wednesday with a statement that has gone around the city. When asked about the possibility of bringing Bad Bunny to the chicharrero Carnival, the nationalist mayor responded with humour: "If he gives us a 50% discount, we might bring him." The phrase, far from being a formal proposal, reflects the relaxed tone of an interview in which Bermúdez reviewed the main challenges facing the Tenerife capital.
Las Teresitas, the great pending project
One of the issues that most concerns residents is the improvement of Las Teresitas beach. The endless queues to access the sandy area are a daily occurrence, and the promise of a large promenade, lighting, and sanitation has been up in the air for years. Bermúdez has assured that "yes, you will see it."
The mayor explained that the City Council is about to bring the modification of the General Planning Plan (PGO) to the plenary, an essential step to intervene in the beach. "Once approved, our intention is to tender the works," he stated. The forecast is that the PGO modification will be approved before the end of the year and that the works will begin in the next term.
Additionally, Bermúdez confirmed that the hotel planned for the Las Teresitas plot is definitely discarded. Instead, the uses will be expanded to allow the construction of a socio-health centre, a demand from local residents.
The Franco monument: they will comply with the law
Another hot topic is the Franco monument on Anaga Avenue. The Spanish Government has given the City Council an ultimatum to remove it within six months, and Bermúdez has acknowledged that "we have not yet finished studying, from a legal standpoint, what options we have to maintain and resignify the monument."
However, the mayor has been blunt: "Undoubtedly, we will comply with the law, and if we have no other option, we will remove it, and that's it." He has criticised that the Ministry of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory "has disregarded the Canary Islands Historical Memory law," bypassing established procedures. If it is ultimately removed, the monument will be stored in a warehouse in the El Mayorazgo Industrial Estate, the same one used for Carnival elements.
For the residents of Santa Cruz, this decision marks the end of a long debate. The monument, which has remained in the public space since the dictatorship, has been a source of controversy for years. Now, the City Council must decide whether to remove it or seek a legal formula to keep it resignified.
Municipal management and community closeness
Bermúdez has expressed satisfaction with his team's work, although he acknowledges that bureaucracy is an obstacle. "I try to be in the street more than in the office and I try to solve problems," he said. The mayor believes that Santa Cruz "always improves" and that his goal is to "provide the best possible version in the current situations."
When asked if the chicharreros are happy with his management, Bermúdez preferred not to respond directly: "That should be asked to the residents." What he has guaranteed is his closeness to citizens' demands.
Looking to the future, the mayor has made it clear that his priority is to "close the link well" of his term so that others can continue the chain. Meanwhile, residents hope that the promises regarding Las Teresitas and other projects come to fruition. And, who knows, maybe one day Bad Bunny will perform at the Carnival, even if it’s with a discount.
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