Tenerife Group Seeks Joint Projects for 90th Anniversary of 1936 Coup

The Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory of Tenerife (Armht) has asked the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council to work together on projects leading up to the 90th anniversary of the 1936 military coup. These projects would focus on ensuring truth, justice, compensation, and preventing similar events from happening again.

Armht's president, Mercedes Pérez Schwartz, has formally requested this joint effort and wants to meet with Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez "as soon as possible." The goal is to discuss historical memory sites in the city and find ways to work together, especially since Santa Cruz was one of the Canary Islands' areas most affected by the coup.

Pérez Schwartz pointed out that Candelaria square, in front of the old Civil Government building, was the scene of the first violence and deaths in the Canary Islands during that time. Assault guard corporal Francisco Muñoz Serrano and Falangist militant Santiago Cuadrado were killed there. This incident led to a wave of repression, with several residents, including the presidents of the "Círculo de la Amistad XII de Enero" and the Santa Cruz Tenants' Union, being targeted in quick trials. The civil governor, Manuel Vázquez Moro, and his secretary, Isidro Navarro, were also executed by firing squad.

The city's democratic mayor at the time, Juan Carlos Schwartz, and several councilors, including José María Martín, Domingo López Torres, and Santiago Albertos Hernández, were forcibly disappeared by the new Francoist authorities. Other officials faced prison, persecution, financial penalties, or long periods of exile.

Given Santa Cruz's important role in the history covered by both Canarian and national laws on historical and democratic memory, Armht believes working together will help make further progress.

Pérez Schwartz added that Armht wants to "actively help achieve the law's goal: to ensure truth, justice, compensation, and prevent recurrence. These are vital principles for a strong democratic memory and for defending values that currently seem to be questioned and even attacked by some."

She mentioned some unresolved issues, including two proposals for "Places of Memory." One is for Paso Alto, an early detention site for civil and military officials at the start of the dictatorship. The other is for the old Military Battery of Barranco del Hierro, where 68 men were executed in cold blood simply for being social activists and part of democratic institutions.

Armht has also worked with the Masonic association to protect the Masonic Temple through the Memory Commission. Pérez Schwartz stated, "We are pleased that the local government signed an agreement right here to move forward with the Democratic Memory Law. We will also celebrate progress on actions concerning the Monument to Franco."

Finally, Pérez Schwartz expressed concern about new construction in the Refinery area, where remains of the Military Battery might still be found.