Trapaseros Win Tenerife Murga Final, Controversial "Banknote" Gesture Sparks Debate

The 2026 Adult Murga Final of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival took place this Saturday, January 31. The murga group Trapaseros won the top prize for their performance, but their victory has sparked debate online. The controversy stems from how one of their members reacted while accepting the award.

The winners were announced just after 2:30 AM at the Tenerife Exhibition Center. Trapaseros impressed the judges with a show inspired by a "Canarian Super Bowl." Their performance blended music, elaborate stage design, and collaborations with local artists. Famous names like Los Sabandeños, Mel Ömana, Rosana, and Iván Torres from Efecto Pasillo joined them on stage, along with a group of dancers and extras.

Bambones took second place for Performance, Tiralenguas came in third, and Diablos Locos received an honorable mention.

The controversy began as soon as Trapaseros was announced as the winner. A video, shared by user @nelviluna on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption "Judge for yourselves," shows Trapaseros member Ragüel Chávez celebrating wildly. He jumped, threw his costume hat, hugged a teammate, and then made a gesture that many viewers interpreted as him throwing banknotes into the air. At the same time, parts of the audience could be heard shouting "fix, fix," suggesting the competition was rigged.

The video quickly led to a flood of reactions online, both critical and supportive, questioning the murga member's actions. Many critical comments focused on the banknote gesture. Some users wrote: "I'm not going to tell anyone how they should celebrate their award, but the gesture with the banknotes..." and "What an ugly gesture." Others saw it as deeply disrespectful: "What a lack of respect for people who are struggling, for those who don't have enough to make it to the end of the month, for those who can't pay rent... after having spent what was spent on a theme. Disappointing and regrettable." Another comment added: "And on top of that, the guy makes the banknote gesture... and says they didn't pay." More users chimed in with: "As if the banknotes were his. The most expensive cardboard in history" and "This is the standard." Some emphasized the importance of graceful winning: "I believe one must know how to lose, but even more so, one must know how to WIN. A very ugly gesture from the Trapaseros murga group; no matter how much the audience shouts at you, you have to be elegant. This proves right those who say they were GIFTED the first prize." Overall, many found the gestures "regrettable," fueling a lively debate across social media.

Some users suggested the celebration was a deliberate provocation, a response to the audience's "fix" shouts, which they felt only strengthened arguments that the jury's decision was unfair.

On the other hand, many defended Trapaseros and their performance. These supporters criticized the audience's heckling, reminding others of the hard work involved: "There are people who have been working day in and day out for months; show some respect." Other comments included: "I find it incredibly disrespectful to shout 'fix' at a murga group that performed brilliantly just because you don't share the style they developed in a final song," and "This is something I will never understand. I find it disrespectful."

This incident adds to an ongoing discussion in recent years about the competition's judging standards, the balance between elaborate spectacle and traditional lyrics, and how the murga format is changing within the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival.