Santa Cruz de Tenerife commemorates its 531 years of history, and consequently, the flower clock at García Sanabria Park became the focal point of this significant celebration last night with the customary reading of the proclamation for the May festivities. This year, the honour was bestowed upon the Chicharrero singer and beloved son of the city, Caco Senante. Set in a spring ambience, the evening transformed into an impromptu stage filled with music and humour, with the preacher taking centre stage.
Senante commenced his address by expressing his gratitude for being chosen to deliver the proclamation for the celebrations that “mark the founding of the city that saw my birth, which shaped my identity and has always made me proud to call it home. I was born on Pérez de Rozas street, where I continue to discover new things. It still surprises me. I remain enamoured,” remarked the singer.
Further, the preacher underscored the connection he maintains with the residents of Santa Cruz, stating, “In a city from which circumstances have relocated me, I have never lost the sensation of being part of it for the last 50 years. I have remained present, and it has remained present within me. I owe this to the streets, to the people who traverse them, who consistently express their affection when they see me.”
The artist, whose proclamation was titled Santa Cruz and music, emphasised the significance of various city landmarks in his professional journey, including record shops, nightclubs, music labels, radio stations, as well as musical figures like Tony Greco or Victor Pablo Pérez, alongside the participants of the Chicharrero carnival, songs, and the bohemian vibes of icons such as Michael Jackson or Luis Miguel.
In his address, he proclaimed, “This city has shaped my identity. I am Santa Cruz and I embody music. I have always felt a representation of it. I share the sense of humour characteristic of Santa Cruz. Fortunately, my fond memories allow me to continually reconstruct the city and its nooks, as I once knew them and in light of the experiences I have lived here.” Thus, he asserted, “this proclamation serves to honour what music has contributed to the vitality of this city. It has established it as a musical haven.”
Furthermore, the mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, commenced his speech by accentuating the city’s history and identity as the first capital of the Canary Islands and a central hub for the archipelago’s most significant events, which celebrates its 531st anniversary on May 3.
The councillor introduced the Festival as a “cherished and esteemed local figure who, apart from being an unmatched artistic talent, is also a beloved son of this city and a representative of our spirit, having even been a chronicler and narrator of our uniqueness, describing us in ways that no one else has in numerous articles and his published works.”
The proclamation concluded, as expected, with a musical showcase by Caco Senante himself, who entertained the audience with familiar tunes.
