Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday in the village of Puertito de Adeje, in the south of Tenerife, to protest against the Cuna del Alma tourism project. The rally, organised by the group Salvar el Puertito, was marked by chants of “Canarias no se vende, se ama y se defiende”, meaning "the Canaries are not for sale, they are loved and defended".
The Salvar el Puertito group previously estimated the cost to acquire the land that Cuna del Alma is being built on, at between 14 and 18 million euros, significantly less than the 200 million euros cited by some sources.
They argue that once the land is confiscated, it should become part of the public domain of the municipality of Adeje or the acquiring public administration. Following this, a Special Plan could be developed, potentially requiring modifications to the General Plan of Adeje, to determine the new use for the land.
The group advocates for expanding the protected natural area of the Site of Scientific Interest of La Caleta to include the land previously designated for Cuna del Alma. Their proposal includes measures such as restoring damage caused by machinery, controlling invasive species, and establishing a network of walking trails to further protect the area.
Additional alternatives suggested include creating a marine centre to study the local flora and fauna, potentially utilising existing structures like the Cuna del Alma sales office.
The association argues that these proposals would also meet longstanding local demands for essential services such as sanitation, electricity, and parking in the coastal area of El Puertito. They believe these improvements could be achieved without extensive urbanisation.
Salvar el Puertito stresses that the Adeje Council has a crucial opportunity to shift the municipality and the island towards a model that listens to its citizens, respects the land we live on, and leverages its values for the benefit of the community.
