Canary Islands Government Slashes Fine for Developer of Controversial Cuna del Alma Project Despite Heritage Damage
The Government of the Canary Islands has officially concluded the sanctioning process against the developers of the controversial Cuna del Alma tourist-residential megaproject in El Puertito de Adeje, imposing a reduced fine of €229,500 for damages caused to the area’s archaeological heritage.
This move has sparked a new wave of public criticism, political backlash, and accusations of preferential treatment, particularly from parties like Podemos Canarias, who denounce the decision as a betrayal of public interest and cultural protection.
📉 Fine Reduced by More Than Half — From €600,000 to €229,500
The sanctioned amount represents a 61.75% decrease from the initially proposed €600,000 fine, which was assessed during the previous administration. However, that original case expired on August 31st, 2023, due to procedural delays.
In the renewed assessment process, authorities downgraded the offense from “very serious” to merely “serious,” citing technical rather than ideological reasoning. The new ruling attributes the fine to three distinct serious violations, compared to the earlier judgment that labeled the damage as highly egregious.
🏺 What Was Damaged?
According to Miguel Ángel Clavijo, Director General of Culture and Cultural Heritage, the damage involved an archaeological site consisting of a hut settlement covering approximately 80 square metres. Clavijo stressed that similar remains are common across southern Tenerife, and argued that the former administration’s classification of the case as “very serious” was motivated by ideology rather than archaeological science.
“A truly very serious heritage crime would be something like destroying the Painted Cave of Gáldar,” said Clavijo. “This case was blown out of proportion in political discourse.”
🏛️ Additional Violations: Lack of Archaeologist and Ignoring Orders
The reduced fine still reflects multiple regulatory breaches:
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Failure to employ a qualified archaeologist during excavation and site preparation — a legal requirement for developments near culturally sensitive zones.
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Disregarding a precautionary suspension order issued by the Tenerife Cabildo, which explicitly halted construction to allow further investigation.
Clavijo acknowledged that when he assumed office, his department was in a “chaotic” state, with over 100 unresolved cases. He said that the legal expiration of the previous proceedings forced them to start from scratch — involving all parties in the process: the developer, the Adeje Town Council, the Tenerife Cabildo, and the regional government.
⚖️ Commitment to Impartial Enforcement
Despite the controversy, Clavijo insists that his department is committed to fair and consistent enforcement of cultural protection laws:
“We will penalise anyone — whether it’s a cabildo, a town council, or a private developer — who harms Canarian cultural heritage.”
He maintains that the updated sanction is legally sound and more accurately reflects the scope and scale of the actual damage.
💥 Political Outcry and Citizen Mobilisation
The decision has triggered fierce backlash from Podemos Canarias and other civic groups who view the reduced fine as an institutional green light for private exploitation of public and cultural assets.
Gabriel González, councillor for Unidas Sí Podemos in Adeje, called the ruling „scandalous” and accused the government of “minimising irreversible damage” done to a protected heritage site.
“The government not only permits the destruction of our shared cultural heritage, it then reduces the penalty and aligns itself with the interests of a private mega-developer,” González said in a strongly worded statement.
He emphasized that the incident occurred despite existing suspension orders, meaning the developer knowingly proceeded with works in defiance of official mandates.
📅 Protests Loom as Public Frustration Builds
The announcement of the reduced fine comes just days before scheduled public demonstrations set for May 18th, where activists and citizens plan to protest in defense of the Canary Islands’ natural and archaeological heritage.
Podemos Canarias linked the timing of the ruling to an attempt to undermine grassroots mobilisation:
“While citizens are preparing to defend what belongs to all of us, institutions are bowing to the economic power of private interests,” read the party’s official communiqué.
These protests are part of a broader campaign opposing large-scale tourism projects that locals believe threaten the ecological and historical fabric of the Canary Islands, particularly on Tenerife’s rapidly developing southwestern coast.
🌍 The Broader Debate: Development vs. Heritage
The Cuna del Alma case has become symbolic of a much larger debate in the Canary Islands:
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Can tourism and real estate development coexist with cultural and environmental preservation?
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Or is the region being sold piece by piece to the highest bidder, at the cost of its unique identity?
The answer — and the fate of future developments — may well depend on how strongly citizens, activists, and public institutions stand up to defend the islands’ vulnerable heritage.
🔔 Stay Informed: Protests begin May 18. The question remains: How much heritage are we willing to lose for luxury resorts?