The VI Historical Novel Festival 'Ciudad de Tacoronte' kicks off its second week this Thursday, November 12th, at 6:30 PM, with the presentation of the latest book by José Carlos Guerra Cabrera, titled Cristóbal de Ponte. The Castilianization of Tenerife from its Beginnings (Editorial Adarve, 2026). Later, at 8:30 PM, the II Baldomera García Historical Research Prize, convened by the municipal Culture Department, will be awarded. All events take place at the Casa de la Cultura and are free to attend.
The book presentation will feature geographer Fernando Martín Galán, who will lead the dialogue with the author. The work Cristóbal de Ponte is described as a truthful story turned into literary narration, a documented approach to one of the first European colonizing ventures and the resulting society's lights and shadows. Guerra Cabrera uses the life of the Genoese merchant and banker Cristóbal de Ponte, who financed the conquest of Tenerife, as a thread to explore the 35 years following the island's subjugation.
The book details Tenerife's profound transformation, including the first sugar mills, the conflicts of acculturation and resistance of the indigenous people, and the tension between the Crown of Castile and the governor regarding slavery. It also addresses the origins and significance of the cult of the Virgin of Candelaria, the residencia trials of Alonso Fernández de Lugo, and the island's echo of events like the discovery of America or the sack of Rome.
José Carlos Guerra Cabrera (Güímar, 1947) holds degrees in Philosophy, English Philology, and a doctorate in Art History. He has authored works such as Canarias hacia la Reforma and Un mercader inglés en Tenerife en el siglo XVII. He has been honored by the Governments of France and Spain.
The awarding of the II Baldomera García Historical Research Prize is part of the festival and is an initiative of the Culture Department, led by mayor Sandra Izquierdo. The prize aims to strengthen knowledge, scientific research, and the recovery of the historical memory of the Canary Islands, with a special focus on Tacoronte. The call is open to residents in the Canary Islands, with particular emphasis on studies linked to the municipality.
Izquierdo highlighted that the prize champions research talent and culture as a public good. The competition also pays tribute to Baldomera María García Fuentes, the first female mayor in the Canary Islands, who served in El Sauzal in 1933.
