The six activists from the Canarias se agota collective ended their 20-day hunger strike they started to demand a new tourism and economic model in the Canary Islands. They announced this during a popular assembly held at the camp they set up in the historic centre of La Laguna, next to the church of La Concepción.
“The people have taken over from the heroic hunger strikers and we will continue forward with determination and strength until we achieve the Canary Islands we dream of,” stated Canarias se agota on social media.
According to Canarias se agota, one of the platforms behind the massive demonstrations on Saturday, April 20, along with the group known as Canarias tiene un límite, which brings together environmentalist groups, “hundreds of people gathered at the popular assembly, showing their weariness and fervent desire for a radical change.”
One of the gatherings organized at the hunger strikers’ camp in La Laguna. / Andrés Gutiérrez
“We are deeply grateful to the hunger strikers for being the unquenchable flame of resistance, for giving their strength and health for our land. Now it is up to us, the people, to continue this fight with vigour,” concludes the message from Canarias se agota.
The hunger strike by these six activists began on April 11. Over these 20 days, they have demanded an immediate tourist moratorium, the urgent halt of construction works for the Cuna del Alma urbanisation in Adeje and the La Tejita hotel in Granadilla de Abona, and measures to change the model of the Islands’ main economic sector to end this protest. They have finally concluded their claim denouncing that the Government of the Canary Islands has turned a deaf ear to their requests.
Three of the activists addressed the audience during the assembly. They stated that the other three were recovering from their delicate health condition after this time. Among them was Roberto Mesa, who went to Madrid on the 24th to take these protests against mass tourism and the economic model to the Congress of Deputies. “We have seen the people rise up. The hunger strike is one more measure but there will be more actions. Thanks to the Canarian people standing up against injustices,” he said through a megaphone, amid applause from those present.
One of the demonstrations held at the hunger strikers’ camp in La Laguna. / Andrés Gutiérrez
Over thirty collectives linked to the 20A movement throughout the Canary Islands have initiated a proposal gathering process for a model change and have urged the regional Government to establish a negotiation table to address these citizens’ contributions.
In a statement picked up by Efe, the collectives call this participatory process Canarias Palante, whose first action will be a form to collect proposals “to do things better in the Canary Islands, because the only way to do it right is by doing it together.”
They call for the involvement of the scientific community, professionals from different fields, and the general public. In the working group they demand from the Government of the Canary Islands, they propose addressing the implementation of an eco-tax, a tourist moratorium, the regulation of non-resident property purchases, and the halt of “projects that do not comply with urban planning or environmental regulations.”
The collectives from 20A encourage citizens to “continue individual and collective action, to keep occupying our spaces, our beaches, our land, because it is our home and the Canary Islands have a limit.”
