The Arrecife City Council Plenary has unanimously approved naming Antonio Félix Martín Hormiga as a Favorite Son of Arrecife. This tribute arises on the occasion of his outstanding life, artistic, literary, and civic career. The council has pointed out that Félix Hormiga "has decisively contributed to enhancing the cultural and intellectual projection" of the capital of Lanzarote.
The agreement, jointly promoted by all political groups with municipal representation, values the figure of a creator who is essential to understanding the cultural and social evolution of Lanzarote in recent decades.
The institutional declaration highlights Martín Hormiga's deep connection with Arrecife, a city that has been the setting and source of inspiration for his literary and artistic work, and his commitment to defending the culture, identity, and collective memory of the people of Lanzarote.
The mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, emphasized that this recognition of Antonio Félix Martín Hormiga, agreed upon unanimously by the plenary session, is to value "the great contribution made by this great cultural creator born in our port city. Martín Hormiga's literary work compiles part of the history of Arrecife, with a coastal past, to which Félix contributed to preserve and disseminate it. The culture of Arrecife and Lanzarote is linked to Antonio Félix Martín Hormiga, and from today, even more so after being named Favorite Son of Arrecife, the highest official recognition that the Arrecife City Council has for its illustrious sons."
For his part, Echedey Eugenio, deputy mayor and spokesperson for the Canarian Coalition Group, emphasized during the Plenary Session that "Félix Hormiga, as we all know him, represents the best of Arrecife's intellectual tradition. He is a man who has made words, reflection, and art a vital commitment to his land. His name is linked to creation, critical culture, and a deep love for this city."
With this recognition –Eugenio added–, Arrecife settles a debt of gratitude with one of its most illustrious sons, a moral and cultural benchmark who has managed to place our capital on the literary map of the Canary Islands and the Hispanic world.”
During his turn to speak, the spokesperson for the Socialist Municipal Group, Alfredo Mendoza, stated "I hope that this institutional declaration is more than just a symbolic act and is an act of our will as an institution. Recognizing Felix as a Favorite Son of Arrecife is a gesture of affection and justice. It is to thank him for everything he has contributed so that Arrecife has a voice, memory, and soul. His work reminds us that culture is shared and those who love their land, like him, magnify it for all."
"A Friend from Arrecife"
Eugenio Hernández, spokesperson for the Mixed Group (VOX), also spoke, noting that "Antonio Félix Martín Hormiga has always been a friend of Arrecife, its people, and its traditions. His work reflects the soul of this city and its commitment. This appointment is a well-deserved recognition of a life dedicated to culture and love for our city and our island."
The approved text recalls the intense work of Martín Hormiga as a painter, essayist, narrator, playwright, and cultural manager, as well as his contribution to the development of critical thinking and the dissemination of the artistic and historical heritage of Lanzarote. He was a councilor of the Arrecife City Council in the 80s, the first director of the Agustín de la Hoz House of Culture, and head of the Publications Service of the Island Council, from where he promoted the publication of fundamental works for the collective memory of the island.
Transcends the literary
Likewise, the document highlights that the figure of Antonio Félix Martín Hormiga "transcends the strictly literary or political," as he is "a civic and moral reference who embodies the values that Arrecife wishes to recognize in its favorite sons: intellectual honesty, social commitment, and the defense of culture."
With this distinction, the Arrecife City Council expresses the affection, respect, and admiration of all citizens towards the figure of Antonio Félix Martín Hormiga, whom they consider an example of commitment, free thought, and love for his city.