In a statement issued today, Elite Taxi Tenerife is demanding the resignation or removal of Evelyn Alonso, the Councillor for Mobility and Public Services at the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council. This call comes after what they describe as a direct assault on the taxi sector in the capital of Tenerife, following her statement: ‘It is the most regrettable thing I have seen. Children harassed by the taxi sector.’
The tweet was shared on Saturday 24 August at 12:24, and although it was subsequently deleted, there are graphic records that attest to its existence. In this message, the councillor refers to a demonstration announced by Élite Taxi Tenerife, in which the Hispano Inglés and Pureza de María schools are warned that they will be affected by protests at the start of the school year. Apologies for the disruption are offered, with an explanation that the ultimate responsibility lies with Evelyn Alonso herself and the mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez.
The president of Élite Taxi Tenerife, Miguel Ojeda, asserts that “this slanderous behaviour by a councillor is intolerable and is escalating” and adds that “the taxi drivers of Santa Cruz de Tenerife deserve respect and safeguarding, not spurious criminalisation with such grave allegations”.
“Protesting is one of the few avenues we have to ensure the City Council listens to us,” Ojeda continues, noting that “there have been numerous years of unmet promises and the taxi sector in Santa Cruz de Tenerife necessitates a genuine commitment from the City Council, as well as public officials who are competent and reliable.”
Regarding the protests near schools, Ojeda has reiterated his “apologies to the educational community for any inconvenience that may be experienced on that day,” but emphasises that it has been made clear that “those particular institutions appear to be the only ones of concern to the City Council and, as such, they serve as leverage. Therefore, we will persist in exercising our right to protest until the City Council adheres to its promises.”
@MovilidadSC @evebruler pic.twitter.com/odbtjESqia
— FETE (Elite Taxi Spain) (@EliteTaxiEspana) August 26, 2024