Puerto de la Cruz Officials Swim at Playa Jardín to Counter Contamination Concerns

The management of the health crisis at Playa Jardín has sparked an unusual public relations strategy. To project a sense of normalcy following recent water quality alerts, the Mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, Leopoldo Afonso, and his deputy, David Hernández, have posted personal videos of themselves swimming at the beach.

This social media campaign comes just two weeks after the Canary Islands’ public health authorities flagged a brief contamination incident at the El Charcón cove between June 22 and 23. The local government—a coalition of the PP, CC, and ACP—did not close the beach, arguing that the regional government’s notification process was informal and lacked proper administrative registration. The regional authorities, however, maintain that their method of communication followed standard protocol.

The situation is particularly sensitive for the town, which only recently reopened the beach after a year-long closure caused by sewage issues. Since the reopening on June 17, the City Council has highlighted its efforts to upgrade the sanitation network and prevent future overflows.

Although follow-up tests on June 24 confirmed the water was safe, the officials’ decision to film themselves swimming highlights the political pressure to restore public confidence. While Deputy Mayor David Hernández took a casual approach in his video, Mayor Leopoldo Afonso used his appearance to promote local businesses in Punta Brava, reiterating his stance that the June contamination was merely an isolated incident caused by a faulty sample.