Behind Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife there are thousands of people who, every year, dedicate time, effort and money to make the chicharrera party the best in the world, with permission from the Brazilian Carnival. However the government decree that regulates the measures to prevent the spread of COVID has put the party at serious risk, since, as pointed out by the councilor for Fiestas de Santa Cruz, Alfonso Cabello, “Article 25.9 of the decree establishes that no mass event may be held in any of the phases, neither in the Canary Islands nor in Santa Cruz”. The mayor acknowledges that, until the publication of the decree, “we thought that in phase 1 or 2 certain things could be done, always depending on the evolution of the pandemic, something that is now up in the air.”
Still, Cabello sends a message of reassurance to the Carnival groups that, in case of resuming the party as it was before the pandemic, they would already have to be rehearsing. “We must differentiate two things, the Carnival in the street and the galas and contests. Regarding the first, I am not optimistic. I think that it will not be possible to celebrate in the street until we overcome the pandemic. Even so, it will be in October when a final decision is made, a decision that does not correspond only to me ”. “With regard to the second aspect,” he continued, “what I can guarantee today is that the City Council is working so that there are contests and galas, with the economic collaboration of the carnival groups to make that happen.”
The mayor advances that in the coming weeks he will sit down with the groups to agree on the proposals in which Fiestas are already working, and that they pass, as Cabello points out, through the modification of the bases and the implementation of a series of directed measures to ensure safety.
“We are working on two parallel lines. One is to adapt the rules of the contests, starting from the real case that the groups have less time to rehearse, something that, with the decree of the Government of the Canary Islands, by not allowing the opening of the municipal premises in the current phase 3, already is a reality”.
According to the mayor, according to what the groups tell him, “we work with the idea of a single theme, since they tell us that they need at least two months for each performance they prepare, so if they start rehearsing in December, they will have enough time ”.
But the problem, as Cabello admits, is how the groups are going to rehearse with the limitations imposed by the pandemic and the decree of the Government of the Canary Islands. “We are seeing, depending on some disciplines, if they can be divided by voices, strings, so that they can rehearse in smaller groups, and then have the opportunity to assemble the performance in a second moment, in which conditions have improved. sanitary ”. “To do this,” continues Cabello, “we are even considering that the Autonomous Party Organization identify and facilitate some spaces where complete groups can meet to assemble the themes.” The mayor mentions points such as the Fairgrounds, the Municipal Sports Pavilion or the esplanade of the pier for this final rehearsal with all the members of the groups in question.
“We are going to put that on the table. But we do not lose sight of the fact that, with the current decree and in the phase we are in, that too would be impossible, but we trust that in December it will be ”.
Cabello does not rule out studying more measures, such as those proposed by the Federation of Carnival Groups of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, who have asked their City Council questions such as reducing the minimum and maximum number of components, or that the members of The groups must have a vaccination certificate to test.
Vaccines
With regard to requesting the vaccination certificate, the mayor of Fiestas admits that it could be requested, but only when the groups act in events contracted by the City Council. “When they come to the Fairgrounds to rehearse or perform, I can demand the certificate, but when they go to rehearse, they are governed by the regulations of those venues,” he explains.
Even so, Cabello advances that they are working on the implementation of measures to guarantee safety related to COVID. “We are working on a decalogue of good practices for the rehearsal premises, in which we are considering requesting a sworn statement, which is an essential condition for acceptance and compliance, to participate in the bases. It is also proposed that there be a COVID person in charge, to certify that when they meet, they do so in accordance with health recommendations. Their responsibility is to have an up-to-date list available to the organization of who has gone to rehearse each day, ”he says.
The mayor of Fiestas does not want to end without insisting that “there will be celebration of contests and galas”. “I would tell the groups that prepare their designs, reserving their fabrics, that the lyricists and composers work on the themes, that there will probably be fewer songs, but I think there will be contests and galas again.”
Incommunication
The Councilor for Fiestas appreciates that the Government of the Canary Islands has wanted to unify measures regarding COVID with the decree published on Monday, but regrets that it has done so, “once again”, without speaking to anyone, especially on an issue as sensitive as the carnival, “the only festival of international tourist interest in the Canary IslandsIt is true that there are several minor carnivals, such as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, but I think Santa Cruz deserved a specific meeting to coldly approach the celebration of the party.
