The Association of Street Traders of Tenerife (Avamte) has voiced its backing for all the vendors at the Santa Cruz Rastro, who, through community action, have persuaded the local council to reconsider the impending closure order. Nonetheless, the association’s general secretary, Antonio Tejeda, highlighted “the significant irregularities that the council has committed in managing the situation, as any reopening should be backed by a legal and safety framework. The decisions made thus far not only demonstrate a lack of consistency in the enforcement of regulations but also expose legal issues that need to be addressed to ensure a safe environment.”
In his view, “the closure was ordered based on technical assessments of serious non-compliance, including the absence of permits, sale of goods lacking health oversight, or the use of gas cylinders, among others. However, this has been overturned to facilitate reopening without assuring that the underlying issues have been resolved.”