“I have conveyed to the residents that this is a matter of fighting for dignity,” the lawyer states.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 12 Mar. (Europa Press) –
A collective of residents who were evicted on 12 March 2024 from the Chasna Building, located in Costa del Silencio, in the municipality of Arona (Tenerife), has articulated their intention to lodge a complaint against what they perceive as an “excess” in the implementation of their eviction, which commemorates its one-year anniversary this Wednesday.
The Court of First Instance No. 3 of Arona previously mandated the eviction of 44 homes from blocks 8 and 10 of the said building, which had remained abandoned for nearly five decades due to structural deterioration (aluminosis) and the risk of collapse. This ruling affected approximately 210 individuals, including women, some of whom were pregnant, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
In an interview with Europa Press, the collective’s lawyer, Gabriel Morales, elaborated on the purpose of this legal action: “to clarify responsibilities” in a process where, they assert, “an excess has been committed in the execution of the judicial title.”
He illustrated this issue by recalling the moment the sentence was issued. Beyond the considerations that it might be viewed as “fair” by some and “unfair” by others, it referred to a specific area to carry out the eviction—”with a specific cadastral reference aligning with block Chasna 10″—while the eviction, he notes, was executed in a broader context.
Upon reviewing another negative aspect observed during this eviction, there is also concern about the manner in which notifications were delivered. In this respect, the defence maintains that “the plurality of people” affected by the situation was not adequately addressed, notifying them “with a piece of paper at the door, which was not even placed by an official, but rather by the opposing party’s attorney.”
While the complaint would be confined to the judicial domain, the political arena has also played a significant role in this instance of mass eviction in southern Tenerife. The lawyer recalls that, “while being aware of the judicial proceedings,” the registration was “deliberately” blocked, creating an obstacle for certain families in obtaining the financial aid that others received.
“I have communicated to the residents that this is a fight for dignity,” Morales remarked regarding the aim of the complaint. He specified that they would be confronting criminal charges against those involved, “that is, in this instance, the lawyer of the administration of justice,” or directly accountable to the State due to “the negligence of their own officials.”
The ‘Chasna’ Building, a Year On
One of the individuals evicted in 2024 from the Chasna building in Arona, Eloy Outerial, states a year later that the property has been reoccupied. He claims that as soon as the security measures were lifted, the fences securing the building were vandalised.
“Those who were present due to a lack of housing, a group of working individuals, have not returned, to my knowledge. Hence, we left out of necessity. However, others, facing various challenges and addictions, have returned,” Outerial revealed.
He laments that the extensive security measures provided on the eviction day, 12 March 2024, were not in place “at all”, as today, a year on, the property is once again occupied, just following three months of “surveillance”, with no actions taken “to prevent it, neither reinforcing it nor securing it.”
Support for Evicted Residents
Following the eviction, several residents received financial assistance. There was also temporary support from the Red Cross while they were camped nearby, although this lasted only for a short period. “That was in the initial weeks, but after a month, neither the Red Cross nor any assistance came,” Eloy confesses, reflecting on how he ended up in Chasna—”out of necessity”—and the emotions experienced on 12 March 2024.
“When justice fails you, the State fails you, and you are abandoned on the street like a dog, you completely lose trust, faith in society,” Outerial lamented, a year after an eviction he now describes as a “cattle movement,” during which they felt no support from public authorities.
Eloy’s determination to occupy the Chasna building in Costa del Silencio stemmed from his need for shelter. “There is no affordable housing,” he exclaims. This situation continues to persist today. He pledged to keep progressing, but for the moment, he resides in a storage room.
“The conditions in Tenerife Sur have not improved; on the contrary. Since no actions have been taken, the situation has only worsened. Currently, there are only about four camps, between the friar and yellow mountain,” stated Outerial, who condemns that the government chooses to ignore the issue, refusing to declare the municipality a tension zone, despite the hardships faced by residents in accessing housing.
