The Granadilla Town Hall in southern Tenerife has stirred up controversy once again by hiring Miguel Assal, a Santander-based emergency trainer, to deliver a talk. This follows a backlash last December when the council commissioned climate change sceptic Miguel Rix to create a documentary about the local primary sector, which ended with him making inflammatory statements during its launch.
Assal, previously a lifeguard, gained notoriety on social media after he revealed in a podcast that he and a colleague failed to mark off dangerous swimming zones to create opportunities for rescuing young women, allowing them to swim in potentially hazardous areas. This admission drew widespread condemnation, prompting Assal to apologise and blame his actions on youthful indiscretion.
The arrangement for Assal’s hiring comes from José Sanabria, a Vox spokesperson and councillor responsible for the Primary Sector and Emergencies. He has scheduled Assal to speak on October 31 at the San Isidro multi-functional centre, promoting the event as “a unique experience to save lives in the first five minutes.”
Local residents have raised concerns online, suggesting that the council could have sourced speakers with similar expertise from the various maritime rescue teams across the islands or from professionals in public health institutions, given Assal’s controversial background. His previous remarks and the ensuing uproar, including criticism from Health Minister Mónica García, have left some questioning the decision to invite him again.
Despite the backlash, Sanabria has persisted in bringing in a speaker with a contentious past, asserting that Assal’s experience and knowledge should not be dismissed.
Efforts to gather financial clarification from Sanabria about the cost of the conference were unsuccessful as he declined to comment. The previous documentary project cost the council €18,136, alongside an additional €7,490 for the film’s presentation.
