The rejection of the imminent closure of the historic García Escámez-Somosierra Post Office in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is gaining significant support. Following neighborhood protests, the mayor of the Tinerfeño capital, José Manuel Bermúdez, has joined forces with CCOO Correos union representatives to urge the state-owned company to keep open a service considered vital for hundreds of residents in the city's upper area.
This office, operational since the mid-1940s and the second oldest in Santa Cruz, serves neighborhoods such as García Escámez, Somosierra, Miramar, Chamberí, and Buenos Aires. In these areas, a considerable portion of the population, particularly the elderly, relies on in-person assistance for their daily tasks.
The Santa Cruz City Council has intensified its efforts to halt the closure, scheduled by Correos for May 29th. Mayor Bermúdez has held meetings with affected neighborhood groups and CCOO Correos union officials, who have unanimously expressed their strong opposition to the closure. Participants in these meetings included Rosana Vázquez, Secretary of Union Action for CCOO Correos, and Asdrúbal González, Secretary of Union Organization for CCOO Correos.
Union representatives share the residents' concerns, stating that the disappearance of this branch would degrade the quality of public service and create additional problems for many elderly individuals. Mayor Bermúdez emphasized that the office is more than just a mail drop-off and pick-up point; it is a local resource for bill payments, administrative procedures, and personalized attention.
Bermúdez particularly defended the necessity of maintaining the service for the older population, noting that not everyone can conduct transactions online and highlighting the mobility challenges in reaching the Cruz del Señor Post Office, where the service is intended to be centralized. The area's topography and lack of convenient public transport connections would make travel very difficult for many residents.
The City Council believes the closure will not only impact postal services but also the social cohesion of neighborhoods historically linked to this branch. Residents of Somosierra and García Escámez have already voiced their deep discontent, warning of the mobility and saturation issues the service transfer would cause. The neighborhood association Somosierra Activa, led by Arturo Plasencia, has spearheaded the protests, calling the office 'an emblematic place for its history serving the community' for over eighty years.
The state-owned company Correos y Telégrafos justifies the decision as part of a reorganization process to 'provide a more efficient service,' confirming the closure on May 29th and the transfer of activities to the Cruz del Señor office. They assure that staff will be relocated to other branches. However, residents and unions question these arguments, maintaining that the measure disproportionately affects an aging population dependent on in-person service.
Given the growing social concern, José Manuel Bermúdez has sent a formal communication to Correos' management requesting reconsideration of the decision. The City Council insists on the importance of preserving basic public services in neighborhoods and preventing the loss of resources integral to the daily life and identity of areas like Somosierra or García Escámez, arguing that the disappearance of local offices exacerbates territorial inequalities.
The García Escámez office, opened in the early 1940s, has been a cornerstone for neighborhoods such as Somosierra, García Escámez, Buenos Aires, Miramar, and Chamberí. Its evolution from traditional correspondence services to a hub for bill payments and administrative procedures makes it, for many elderly residents, one of the last reference public services in the area. Therefore, neighborhood associations, unions, and the City Council are joining forces to try and halt this decision.
