Residents of La Paz in Puerto de la Cruz Protest Ongoing Infrastructure Neglect
Residents of the La Paz area in Puerto de la Cruz are demanding urgent infrastructure improvements, citing years of administrative neglect despite the neighborhood's significant contribution to local tourism revenue.
Public services in the La Paz area of Puerto de la Cruz have once again become a hot topic in local politics. According to El Día, residents of this tourist hub—home to nearly 1,200 permanent locals and a large number of visitors staying in its dozen hotels—are speaking out against three years of administrative inaction.
Frustrated residents have filed numerous complaints through official channels, including the municipal registry and the "Línea Verde" digital platform. They point to crumbling infrastructure, such as damaged pavement, uneven sidewalks, poor street lighting, and inadequate waste collection. Many locals feel that the area’s maintenance has been neglected for years, regardless of which political party is in power.
For the residents, this neglect is particularly frustrating given the high tax revenue generated by the area’s tourism industry. This disconnect between the neighborhood's economic contribution and the lack of investment has led some to question the current management model, with some even suggesting that an independent administration might better manage the funds generated by local hotels.
The local government—a coalition of the PP, CC, and ACP—acknowledges that maintenance in La Paz is falling short. Alonso Acevedo, the Councilor for General Services, explained that many service contracts are currently in a precarious state. He noted that the City Council is working to finalize new contracts, including a five-million-euro investment dedicated to maintaining green spaces. While these new agreements are being processed, the council says it is performing targeted repairs with the resources currently available, though it admits that its current response time is not as efficient as they would like.