Tenerife Socialists Demand Los Patos Reopening, El Rincón Recovery

Tenerife's Socialist political group plans to propose a motion this week. They want quick action to reopen Los Patos beach and improve the El Rincón area in La Orotava. This includes making it easier to get to, protecting it, and managing visitors better.

Socialist councilor Javier Rodríguez Medina will lead this effort. He says this protected area is getting worse and that its main swimming spots are being ignored by authorities.

María Jesús Alonso, a PSOE spokesperson from La Orotava City Council, also wants things to move faster. She's asking for geological reports to be released quickly to explain the beach's condition after being closed for so long.

El Rincón has had special rules since 1992, which led to a specific plan in 1997 and the creation of the El Rincón Consortium. This group includes representatives from the Canary Islands Government, the Cabildo, La Orotava City Council, and local community and environmental groups.

However, the PSOE claims that the authorities involved haven't provided enough resources to control access, improve services, or protect the landscape.

Los Patos beach has been shut since December 2023, meaning it's been closed for nearly two years with no progress or reopening date. Rodríguez Medina finds this "unexplainable" and sees it as further proof that El Rincón is being neglected by institutions.

The councilor also notes that while more tourists have visited in recent decades, there hasn't been enough extra maintenance, cleaning, security, or planning for access. He says, "Los Patos, its paths, and the main swimming areas haven't received the basic attention they need."

The PSOE's motion to the Cabildo will ask the El Rincón Consortium and its member organizations to take four urgent steps:

• Create a clear plan for the area's recovery.
• Provide enough money.
• Improve maintenance, cleaning, and security.
• Control and plan how people access the different swimming spots.

The Socialist Group believes that to restore El Rincón, there needs to be strong political leadership, enough funding, and a clear plan to protect it, ensuring it can be used by the public sustainably.

Rodríguez Medina concludes, "El Rincón is incredibly important to the island, both for its environment and its emotional value. It can't keep getting worse because of poor public management."