The young man from Lanzarote, Ginés Ramírez, and his girlfriend Estefanía went on an excursion to the Galería de Piedra Los Cochinos, in Los Silos (Tenerife) but did not return home. Along with them, four other people lost their lives in the cave in February 2007. A year and a half later, Malena Alemán, Ginés' mother, is asking for the full resignation of the Canary Islands Executive. She accuses the previous government, led by Adán Martín, and the current one, led by Paulino Rivero, of carrying out "a disastrous, irresponsible and negligent management" of the tragedy. Proof of this is that, according to Malena, they did not open "an immediate investigation with its subsequent evaluation and determination of responsibilities".
To this day, "security and prevention legislation has not been carried out in galleries and wells", laments this mother from Lanzarote, and adds that records of all these sites have not been carried out either. Malena Alemán also denounces that until now, the concern "of this Administration and the previous one" for the affected families "has been nil".
For all these reasons, Malena Alemán asks the members of the Canary Islands Government: "if they still have feelings of solidarity and their heart and intelligence accompany them, I seriously and wisely beg them to immediately abandon this government that they now occupy". Ginés' mother demands that advisors, general directors and political officials of any kind "consciously and responsibly abandon this government". "That will be the only way they will be remembered with a minimum of dignity", Malena emphasizes. In her opinion, the Canary Islands Parliament has not been up to the task either.
No prison sentences
Just a few days ago, the Court of Instruction number 2 of Icod de los Vinos provisionally dismissed the criminal case opened for the death of the six hikers, thus closing the claim for prison sentences. The judge considered that both the owners of the gallery and the Autonomous Community and the organizing group of the excursion, ATAN, were responsible for the tragedy. However, he did not open a criminal case against them because he did not find sufficient incriminating elements.
Most of the relatives of the deceased have chosen to appeal the decision. One who is not going to do so is Eustaquio Villalba, a member of ATAN, something that has upset Malena Alemán. "It is petty for him to say that ATAN is also a victim of the tragedy", Malena declares perplexed.
