Puerto de la Cruz After-School Classes Powerless for Three Months

María Vanessa León Peraza has been teaching after-school support classes without electricity since October 6th. She holds these classes at the El Tejar Neighborhood Association in Puerto de la Cruz. It's a struggle for both her and the children, as they rely on light from mobile phones, candles, and sometimes an LED lamp.

After three months, the situation is becoming unbearable due to the cold and darkness in the building at 3 Canastilleras Street. The teacher explained, "From 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, we can see well enough. But after that, it's impossible to teach. Even going to the bathroom, which is at the back and very dark, becomes difficult. And of course, we can't have a heater."

A sign from the power company, e-distribución, dated September 26th, is on the door. It states that electricity was cut off because someone tampered with the electrical system. This issue hasn't been fixed, and no one knows who was responsible.

They have met with local officials, including councilors David Hernández (Citizen Participation) and Alonso Acevedo (General Services), and Mayor Leopoldo Afonso, but without success. The last meeting was in November. During that meeting, Ms. León Peraza personally asked the mayor to request a report from the power company. She wanted to understand how the meter was tampered with and determine who was responsible.

"In the meantime," she complained, "no one calls us back, and they don't reply to our messages or WhatsApps. We try to make appointments, but they don't see us. We don't know who else to turn to."

When asked about the situation, the Mayor's Office confirmed that the request has been sent to Endesa and they are waiting for a reply. They also mentioned that no meeting about this issue has been requested in recent weeks.

The local domino club was offered another place to hold their championships, the La Peñita neighborhood association, but they turned it down. However, the teachers have not been offered any alternative location for the support classes. This service has helped 25 to 30 students aged 6 to 18 for 13 years, and the teachers are determined not to lose it because it's a great help to many families.

This activity is part of a long-standing agreement between the City Council and the Neighborhood Association. Under this agreement, reinforcement classes are held at the building from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The City Council pays for water, electricity, and waste collection. Parents pay a monthly fee of 25 euros (which was 12 euros previously), but the service is free for families who cannot afford it.

During the last meeting, Sports Councilor Alberto Cabo suggested installing a temporary electric generator. "But afterwards," the teacher recounted, "they told us one of the City Council's electricians was on vacation and the other was sick. What a coincidence that neither technician was available for us."

Last week, Ms. León Peraza happened to mention the problem to Councilor Felipe Rodríguez, who oversees Beaches, Public Parking, the Cemetery, and the Archaeological Museum's Board of Trustees. He said he would raise the issue at the next full council meeting. Vanessa added that the domino club was also given a similar promise by the city council.

"This is a complex issue that the General Services department is working on, and we are making progress," Councilor Alonso Acevedo said yesterday. He added that they are in constant contact with the utility company to find a solution as quickly as possible.

Regarding the idea of installing a generator, the engineer "was not entirely convinced." Councilor Alberto Cabo made the generator proposal "with the best intentions" during the last meeting. The councilor stated, "My concern is how and who made the connection, questions that no one has answered yet."