News from Tenerife (#33) is published every week as a short news overview of the past week on your favorite website.
In this series, we publish a number of events and news facts from the past week. Each article in News from Tenerife is a synthesis of several facts, actions, and occurrences that are too short to be published as a full-fledged article.
280 million passengers in 18 years
News from Tenerife #33/1
Metrotenerife has double reason to celebrate. On June 2, 2025, it will mark exactly 18 years since the tram line was put into operation (June 2, 2007), and over the past two years, 47,600,000 passengers have been transported, bringing the total number of travellers since the start close to 280 million.
In the past 18 years, the tram on Tenerife has developed into a symbol of identity and modernity in the metropolitan area and has become a benchmark within the guided transport sector. The system was one of the first in Spain to introduce continuous night service on weekends, as well as the use of double trams during the carnival festivities in Santa Cruz. In 2011, it also became the first tram system in Spain to obtain the AENOR certification for Universal Accessibility, a label it retains thanks to successful follow-up and certification audits.
Since June 2, 2007, the tram has experienced steadily increasing demand, rising from 6 million validated passengers in the first year to 25 million in 2024. There were, however, also declines, such as in 2013 during the economic crisis in Spain and in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the restrictions, the tram remained operational as an essential public transport service.
In 2019, the year before the pandemic, the system reached a peak of 15.5 million passengers, a record that was significantly surpassed in 2023 and 2024, when 22.6 million and 25 million passengers were transported respectively, thanks to the introduction of free public transport. The tram system currently has two lines and a total route length of 16 kilometres. With more than 256 million passengers by the end of 2024, the tram is approaching the symbolic total of 280 million passengers.
5,000 Attendees at the 11th Baile de Magos in Candelaria
News from Tenerife #33/2
Candelaria experienced one of its most cherished moments on Sunday, 1 June 2025, with the celebration of the 11th Baile de Magos, an event that brought together approximately 5,000 people at the new location opposite the town hall. The choice of the new venue – the car park opposite the town hall and the Plaza de Los Pescadores – was very well received and proved suitable for this type of event, while renovation works at the Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias are still ongoing.
The evening unfolded in an outstanding atmosphere: family-oriented, relaxed, and full of joy. From the very start, music took centre stage. Pepe Benavente kicked things off, followed by the orchestras Sabrosa and Acapulco, who kept the crowd entertained until the early morning hours, wrapping up at 5:00 a.m.
“We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this success possible: to the attendees for their massive turnout and enthusiasm, to the orchestras for their talent and energy, and to all the staff involved in safety, cleaning and logistics, ensuring the smooth running of the Baile,” said Mayor Mari Brito of Villa Mariana.
The evening passed without any noteworthy incidents, a testament to the excellent organisation and the exemplary behaviour of those present.
Tickets sold out entirely on the first day, and in the end, there were 4,996 attendees.
The Cabildo of Tenerife Demands Full and Accelerated Funding from the Spanish Government to Sustain Free Public Transport
News from Tenerife #33/3
The Cabildo of Tenerife is demanding that the Spanish State accelerate the full release of the funds allocated in the 2025 budget to ensure continued free access to public transport. The island government’s plenary session approved a motion today (Thursday 29 May) urging the Spanish government to fast-track and guarantee the full estimated funding for 2025 before 30 September 2025, with the goal of maintaining free access to public transport in Tenerife and across the Canary Islands.
The motion also calls on the Spanish government to adapt all the requirements of the support measures, as laid out in Chapter I of Title II of Royal Decree-law 1/2025 of 28 January, to reflect the reality and unique characteristics of this autonomous region, as has been the case until now. Furthermore, the Cabildo reiterates its demand that the State “guarantee free access to regular public passenger transport in the Canary Islands, as an essential public service, considering our special autonomous status under the Constitution and our status as an outermost region within the framework of European integration.”
The approved motion highlights that the provision of free public transport in the Canary Islands has had a positive impact on household finances for the population of Tenerife, as well as on the island’s sustainable mobility. Moreover, this measure has led to a positive cultural shift in the way public transport is used, with it becoming a genuine and efficient alternative to the private car. Free access has proven to be a key mechanism in advancing towards a balanced and sustainable society.
According to the Cabildo of Tenerife, the continued existence of free access to public transport is under budgetary pressure. The failure to approve the national budget for 2024 and 2025 — which is currently being temporarily covered by extended budgets — creates uncertainty regarding funding due to the lack of clarity on financial coverage. That coverage depends on the future approval of additional credits needed to guarantee its continuation.
Concerns Over Violence Against Healthcare Staff
News from Tenerife #33/4
The issue of aggression towards healthcare staff has once again come under the spotlight following a report by the nursing union SATSE regarding an attack on a nurse at the emergency department of the health centre in Los Realejos.
In recent years, unions, organisations, and healthcare professionals have repeatedly expressed concern over the increasing number of assaults against medical personnel. This concern has resurfaced after a recent complaint by the Sindicato de Enfermería SATSE about the assault of a nurse at the emergency department of the Centro de Salud de Los Realejos in Tenerife.
According to national figures from the Spanish Ministry of Health, over 16,500 assaults were reported last year within the National Health System, representing a 13% increase compared to 2023. On the Canary Islands, the number of reports of physical aggression fell by 30% last year according to the Policía Nacional, but threats rose by 70%.
As for doctors, the Instituto Español de Formadores en Salud reported a record number of assaults against physicians in 2024: 847 violent incidents were reported to the medical boards, meaning that a doctor is attacked in Spain every ten hours.
SATSE Canarias stresses that assaults on nurses are not isolated incidents. Despite repeated complaints and proposals to address the issue, the situation remains unresolved, and the attacks continue to affect the physical and emotional integrity of healthcare personnel.
The union cites figures that “demonstrate the increase in physical and verbal assaults on nurses of the SCS.” In 2023, 153 cases were recorded, compared to 189 in 2024 – an increase of 36 incidents. According to SATSE, nurses are “the professional group with the highest number of recorded assaults,” and the SCS confirmed that “only 41 of these incidents were reported to the public prosecutor.” In total, 431 assaults were recorded in the Canary Islands in 2023 (32 physical, 321 verbal and 78 mixed), compared to 544 in 2024 (51 physical, 424 verbal and 69 mixed).
24 Drownings in Five Months
News from Tenerife #33/5
A total of twenty-four people have lost their lives due to drowning in the Canary Islands during the first five months of 2025. This is exactly the same number as in the same period last year, according to data collected from official sources by the Asociación para la Prevención de Accidentes en el Medio Acuático ‘Canarias, 1500 Km de Costa’. Among the victims were three minors, two of whom drowned in swimming pools as victims of the so-called “invisible drowning syndrome” — a term that describes situations in which swimmers nearby look at the victim without realising that the person is drowning.
In 2024, two minors drowned in the waters of the islands, one in 2023, two in 2022, and three in 2021. In total, eleven minors have drowned over the past six years. According to the association, 90% of drowning accidents involving minors are due to a lack of adult supervision. Therefore, it is recommended that adults always accompany children into the water when they are swimming.
Since 2020, 124 people have drowned in the Canary Islands. In the first five months of 2025 alone, in addition to the 24 fatalities, there were also four swimmers in critical condition, four seriously injured, fifteen with moderate injuries, six with minor injuries, and six individuals who were rescued unharmed.
In May 2025, there were five deaths, one swimmer was seriously injured, and four people were rescued without injury.
So far this year, drowning cases have been geographically distributed as follows: Tenerife: 9 victims, Gran Canaria: 8 victims, Lanzarote, La Palma, and La Gomera: 2 victims each, and Fuerteventura: 1 victim.
Most drowning incidents occur on beaches, accounting for 42% of cases. These are followed by natural pools (29%), harbours and coastal areas (22%), and swimming pools (7%).
These events and developments have a significant impact on life in Tenerife, highlighting the diverse challenges, progress, and opportunities faced by the island.
Unknown © Photography
News from Tenerife #33 ©
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