Los Verdes (The Greens) call for the suspension of Maspalomas Carnival

The Green party on the south of Gran Canaria have today said that they consider it inappropriate for Maspalomas to hold a massive party “when we are in a moment of a health emergency for the coronavirus” and asked for the events immediate suspension.

Ramón González, spokesman for Los Verdes, today requested the suspension or postponement of the upcoming International Carnival de Maspalomas parade as a precaution, “especially when this event is a massive confluence point for a potentially infected tourist population and tens of thousands of young Gran Canarians all heading to the event.”

González said “it is not acceptable that while football matches are being held behind closed doors this weekend, the confluence of tens of thousands of people is going to be allowed at the Maspalomas Carnival.”

He recalled that more than 100,000 Italian tourists visit the island of Gran Canaria every year, as well as those potentially from other origins also affected by the Corona Virus. The environmentalist party say that as far as they are concerned the general interests and recommendations of the health authorities should prevail. For this reason Los Verdes “call for the suspension of mass gatherings that run against very specific economic interests.”

González said he holds the Municipal Town Hall of San Bartolomé de Tirajana responsible for what may happen and, in turn, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria that subsidises and promotes this major event.  “Our island government seems more concerned with selling smoke than solving and preventing the serious problems we face,” added the spokesman.

Source: Maspalomas Ahora

This urgent request to the town hall, comes on the same day local Spanish language daily La Provincia published an article denouncing the idea of suspending the parade as “Bulo” spread by a group on social media:

“Ever since Monday, an image with a false headline has been circulating through the WhatsApp groups and social networks: ‘The Carnival of Maspalomas is suspended by the outbreak of the coronavirus’. This is a hoax that someone has created using the design of the Gran Canaria section of laprovincia.es to give it greater authenticity.

However, from La Provincia we clarify that at no time has such information been published through this newspaper online.

Therefore, the Carnival of Maspalomas maintains its programming as planned and for the moment none of its events have been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis.”

Stirring stuff. Be we ask, really, shouldn’t we consider it?

Now please wash your hands.