PP Proposes Gold Medal of Tenerife for Author Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa

The Partido Popular has proposed that the Cabildo de Tenerife award the Gold Medal of the Island to Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa Rial, one of Spain’s most prolific authors. The proposal, led by José Carlos Acha, will be voted on at the next plenary session. It aims to honor a man whose career extends far beyond his novels to include his work as a war correspondent and an inventor.

Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1936, Vázquez-Figueroa’s life has been shaped by the turbulence of the 20th century. After his mother died, he moved to the Spanish Protectorate in Morocco to live with his uncle. This period of hardship and his early start in journalism at the newspaper El Día deeply influenced his worldview and provided the foundation for much of his writing.

As a special correspondent for La Vanguardia and Televisión Española, he covered nine armed conflicts, often working alongside figures like Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo. These frontline experiences directly inspired many of his most famous books, including Ébano, Manaos, and Tuareg. With over a hundred novels to his name—many of which have been adapted for film and television—he remains a vocal critic of how urban development and tourism have impacted the Canary Islands.

Now nearly 90 and living in Madrid with his wife of over 60 years, María Francisca, Vázquez-Figueroa remains wary of modern technology, including artificial intelligence. Throughout his career, he has maintained a fiercely independent approach to publishing, often turning down commercial deals that he felt would compromise his creative freedom. The proposed honor from the Cabildo de Tenerife recognizes a life defined by adventure, a commitment to observing reality, and a prolific literary legacy.