The mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, has responded to the Tenerife Cabildo’s intention to propose a redefinition of the Victory Monument, created by the sculptor Juan de Ávalos and commonly referred to as the Franco Monument, which is located at the junction of Rambla de Santa Cruz and Francisco La Roche Avenue. He reminded that “it is municipal property, thus the City Council possesses the sole authority to modify its name or redefine it. Therefore, I urge the Cabildo to collaborate with this Corporation of Santa Cruz regarding any potential redefinition of the monument,” stated the municipal official.
Bermúdez elaborates that “the Cabildo has embarked on the path that justice dictates, namely, to initiate the process to declare the Ávalos monument an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC). While I find this appropriate, the suggestion to change the name of a sculpture that is municipal property, which they cannot create because the artwork is not theirs, appears to be nonsensical.”
“I am quite taken aback,” the council leader expressed, “that the Council is making determinations regarding municipal assets without consulting the City Council. Similar actions have been taken previously; the Government of the Canary Islands attempted it, and the outcome was hardly favourable,” remarked José Manuel Bermúdez, who encourages the Cabildo “to convene and consult with the rightful owner of the sculpture, which is the City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.”
Bermúdez concluded by stating that “if a redefinition and name change is required, it will be completed through a process that involves citizen participation and includes relevant entities,” the mayor clarified, arguing that “this ought not to be a political initiative from the Cabildo that has not even been discussed with the City Council, the rightful owner of the sculpture and its fountain.”
The first deputy mayor and Public Services councillor, Carlos Tarife, aligns with the mayor’s perspective, indicating that “we concur that the Cabildo is acting upon what justice dictates, however, it seems to me they have jumped ahead quite a bit.” He also reminded that “Santa Cruz has a plan for the refurbishment of that fountain, which is still pending approval because we were awaiting a clarification regarding the monument’s status.”
“For this reason,” he continued, “what we need to do is process that BIC, without assigning any name initially, and upon approval, we will amend the project we have for the fountain. Subsequently, we can incorporate what has been addressed in the BIC into that plan.” Tarife concurs with the mayor, expressing a desire for “a participatory process among citizens regarding the renaming of the sculpture.”
