Andrés Agustín Miranda Hernández, a Tenerife politician born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1934, passed away yesterday at the age of 89. Miranda Hernández, a pharmacist by profession, served as the president of the Tenerife Council from April 1971 to January 1974. Prior to assuming this role in the insular Corporation, he was a councilor of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council from 1967 to 1970. In 1971, before his appointment as the head of the Tenerife Cabildo, he held the position of general director of Pharmacy in Madrid and also served as a solicitor in Cortes.
In 1982, he joined Alianza Popular – which later evolved into the current Popular Party in 1989 – a party he represented in the Parliament of the Canary Islands until 1986. In 2002, the insular Corporation honoured him with the Gold Medal of the Island of Tenerife. Andrés Miranda participated in the events commemorating the centenary of the councils in 2013. Ten years ago, in 2014, a book about his life titled “Memoirs of Andrés Miranda Hernández” was published by LeCanarien Ediciones.
Expressions of Sympathy
The Cabildo of Tenerife and its current president, Rosa Dávila, conveyed their condolences to the entire family of Andrés Miranda and those close to him on behalf of the Island Corporation and the society of Tenerife. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Andrés Miranda, the former president of the Cabildo of Tenerife. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends,” wrote Rosa Dávila on her social media accounts.
Fernando Clavijo, the President of the Government of the Canary Islands, also expressed his condolences: “Today, we mourn the passing of Andrés Miranda, the former president of the Cabildo of Tenerife. My condolences to his family and friends,” he posted on X [former Twitter].
Lope Afonso, the vice president of the Cabildo, also shared messages of condolences. “With deep sadness, we mourn the loss of Andrés Miranda, the former president of the Cabildo of Tenerife. Andrés leaves behind a significant legacy in Canarian and Tenerife politics. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. Rest in peace,” remarked Afonso in X.
Legacy
Pedro Martín, the President of the Tenerife Island Corporation in the last term, expressed in a social media post: “The role of being the president of the Tenerife Cabildo carries immense responsibility, a responsibility that Andrés Miranda undertook between 1971 and 1974. Despite any differences, my deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and loved ones. May he rest in peace.”
Almost eleven years ago, during the commemoration of the centenary of the Cabildo of Tenerife – which was founded on March 16, 1913 – Andrés Miranda Hernández partook in the institutional event of the anniversary. Alongside the then-president of the insular Corporation, Ricardo Melchior, who held the position from 1999 to 2013, and José Segura Clavell, who served as the president from 1983 to 1987, Miranda Hernández presided over the opening of the ceremony.
Advocacy for Efficiency
“We are dedicated to promoting the councils through the reforms desired by the State, which involve having an administration for each service and potentially reducing certain levels,” he articulated on March 16, 2013. “Administrations cannot continue to bloat and it is imperative to consolidate services for better operation of the single window system. If necessary, some municipalities may need to be absorbed as well,” he detailed in his address.
“There are prevalent longstanding issues that still persist and need to be addressed,” he noted. “If deputations need to be disbanded in certain areas or town councils dissolved,” he emphasised, “it should be carried out. Ideally through consensus, as failure to address the elephantiasis afflicting the administration will only deepen our economic struggles,” he pointed out.
A Fond Farewell to a Tenerife Patriot: Andrés Miranda | By Andrés Chaves
His legacy has reached its conclusion. Andrés Miranda Hernández, the former president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, bid farewell as he approached his 90th birthday. A devoted Tenerife patriot, he had previously served as the general director of Pharmacy in the early 70s. He successfully revitalised the struggling Centro Farmacéutico de Tenerife, a cooperative supplying pharmacies in the Canary Islands, which continues to thrive.
During his tenure, Gabriel Elorriaga, the civil governor of Tenerife at the time, proposed him as the president of the insular Corporation to replace José Miguel Galván Bello, who had clashed with the ruling power. Although demonstrations erupted in support of Galván, the final days of Franco’s regime inexorably dictated the appointments. Andrés Miranda accepted the offer and excelled in his role at the Tenerife Cabildo. There were tales that the vehicle’s rear suspension would sag when he and Leoncio Oramas were both present in the same car.
Andrés had varied interests: vintage cars, music (he was an adept accordion player), politics, and pharmaceutical endeavours. When the square’s scavengers collected scrap metal, they would deliver it to Sanahuja, the local scrap dealer, and it would later reappear in Valencia. In a memorable interview on Channel 7, Sanahuja, a collector of cochineal during his free time, sought advice from Don Andrés Miranda Hernández, who advised him to report the final destination of the scrap metal to the police promptly, as done. Eventually, it resurfaced in Valencia in a deteriorated state.
Andrés Miranda’s patriotism prompted him to distribute badges featuring a chicharro fish to everyone, particularly during his election campaigns. He was awarded the Tenerife Gold Medal for his notable political and social contributions during his term at the Cabildo from 1971 to 1973. Aligning with the Popular Alliance during the era of democracy, he served as a regional parliamentarian and councillor of Santa Cruz. He consistently advocated for the interests of Tenerife.
The last gathering with him was years ago at Paco Feria’s residence in La Laguna. There, Father Adán, Commander Lorenzo Bruno, businessman Antonio Tavío, and lawyer and politician Antonio Cubillo, among other prominent figures with diverse political backgrounds, convened. It was an incredibly enjoyable occasion. The Feria couple hosted us exceptionally well. Regrettably, we must now add Andrés Miranda, who astonished us with a captivating accordion performance, to the list of friends from that gathering who have passed away (Adán, Cubillo, Tavío, and Lorenzo).
He had been battling severe health issues recently, leading to hospitalisations. However, Andrés never lost his sense of humour or his habit of contacting people at seven in the morning to stay informed about the latest developments in Tenerife (he arrived at the Council before the officials and dedicated over fifteen hours a day to work, and even more when required).
With his departure, a true patriot departs, a man who cherished Tenerife above all else and worked tirelessly for his Island with unwavering dedication. He took charge of a Pharmaceutical Center in a state of crisis and revived it, transforming it into a competitive entity despite facing others with greater financial resources. Throughout, Tenerife remained at the forefront of his mind, always symbolised by the chicharro fish depicted on his lapel alongside the Tenerife flag.
Rest in peace, and our heartfelt condolences go out to your family. Andrés Miranda will forever be remembered in the history of Tenerife for steering the Cabildo through tumultuous times, remaining steadfast in his beliefs, and embodying a profound love for his homeland, earning him the well-deserved Gold Medal of the Island conferred by the Island Corporation.
