A planned protest for tomorrow, Saturday 7th June, at Mount Teide under the slogan "El Teide tiene un límite" (Teide Has a Limit) has been postponed after the Spanish Government’s Subdelegation in Santa Cruz de Tenerife made its authorisation conditional on prior approval from the Tenerife Cabildo.
Environmental groups organising the event have described the requirement as a deliberate obstruction.
In a statement released yesterday, Thursday, the Tenerife Association of Nature Friends (ATAN) confirmed that the protest would be postponed, despite their intention to proceed. The demonstration was planned as a symbolic gathering in the Teide National Park, aiming to highlight the issues of mass tourism and environmental degradation in the protected natural area.
While the event has not been explicitly banned, the organisers claim the demand for a permit from the Cabildo is a “tactical manoeuvre” by the Subdelegation to block the protest. The interpretation in question is based on the park’s usage and management plan, which the Subdelegation argues requires prior authorisation for any gathering that could be considered a mass event.
Accusations of Political Interference
The environmental groups argue that this requirement was communicated with insufficient notice, making it practically impossible to obtain the necessary authorisation in time. They also point out the conflict of interest in requiring approval from the very authority they intended to criticise for what they describe as the “disastrous management” of the park.
The protest was aimed in part at the Tenerife Cabildo, which they accuse of failing to address the environmental crisis in Teide National Park. Organisers say that without the permit, the Subdelegation threatened to apply sanctions and use “coercive machinery” against them.
The groups also responded to recent comments by Cabildo President Rosa Dávila, who blamed the central government for not prohibiting the demonstration. Organisers called her remarks a “politically motivated strategy”, accusing her of distorting the facts and instrumentalising the park for her own agenda.
“Deep Hypocrisy” Over Use of the Park
The activists described it as “paradoxical and deeply hypocritical” that a peaceful and responsible protest is being blocked, while the Cabildo continues to promote large-scale events in the park, including the Tenerife Bluetrail ultra-marathon, the Vuelta Ciclista cycling race, commercial filming, and other mass gatherings.
They also criticised the lack of enforcement against illegal activities such as unauthorised camping, quad bike excursions, unsupervised visits, and unregulated access to the summit of Teide, all of which, they say, threaten the park’s natural and geological heritage.
The organisers insist that their right to peaceful protest is being denied, leaving them feeling “abandoned, silenced, and delegitimised” by public officials who, they argue, should be safeguarding civil liberties rather than obstructing them.
While the protest is currently postponed, the groups stated firmly: “We are delaying, but not giving up.” They added that they are considering legal action for what they describe as a clear violation of their fundamental democratic rights.
