Tributes Paid to Canary Island Writer Dulce Xerach

The Mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, has expressed his condolences following the passing of Canary Island writer and politician Dulce Xerach (1969-2025). In a social media post, he stated that he and Xerach shared “joys and sorrows, friendship and political commitment throughout their lives.”

Memories of a Recent Gathering

Bermúdez recalled their recent meeting at the centenary celebration of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, an institution where Xerach served as president from 2014 to 2016. “Today we are struck by the sadness of your departure. Rest in peace, Dulce. We will always remember you and will miss you dearly.”

Xerach passed away in Madrid on Thursday, 25 September. In his social media tribute, Bermúdez noted that her “talent, enthusiasm, ability to debate, courage, and knowledge will remain with us as an indelible legacy.” Following the mayor’s request, a minute of silence was observed during the Santa Cruz City Council meeting on Friday, with councillors from all groups standing in unity.

A Distinguished Career

Xerach held a Law degree from the University of La Laguna and a doctorate in Architecture from the European University of Madrid. She had a distinguished career in the cultural and political landscape of the Canary Islands. Since entering politics in 1995, Xerach championed key projects, such as the recovery of works by surrealist painter Óscar Domínguez and the establishment of the Contemporary Art Centre dedicated to him, which later became part of the Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (TEA).

She was also the promoter of Espacio Cultural El Tanque, served as president of the Círculo de Bellas Artes of Tenerife, and was a lecturer at the European University of the Canary Islands. As an author, she created the character of Inspector María Anchieta, featured in novels like Robo en São Paulo (2014), Asesinato en una playa de Londres (2015), and Secuestro en Hong Kong (2019), establishing herself as a prominent voice in the noir narrative of the Canary Islands.

Xerach also wrote essays related to architecture, including Arquitectura con Derecho(s), and contributed articles on architecture to various media outlets in the Canary Islands. In recent years, she championed the project La Literatura es Femenina (LLEF), of which she was director. This initiative aimed to increase visibility for contemporary female writers from the Canary Islands and promote gender equality in literature.