The Madrid
mascletà
has made the noise it had promised, in every sense.
Some of the 20,000 attendees, according to data from the Government Delegation, have put their hands to their ears, their chests have vibrated, the birds have flown away and the environmentalists and opponents have raised their banners amid the screams of those who were nearby. favor of the pyrotechnic show.
The gunpowder has crossed not only through the air of Madrid Río, but also among the political parties that have waged a battle during the last week over the controversial event, which has cost 46,000 euros from the public coffers and which was agreed in March between the mayor from Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, and the then Valencian popular candidate, now mayor, María José Catalá.
“I am sure that next year I will return as mayor and she will be there as mayor.
Furthermore, we are going to celebrate it in a big way,” said Almeida in March 2023. Indeed, it has been celebrated in a big way.
And with controversy.
More information
The 'mascletà de Almeida: this explains the effect on a renaturalized environment with 121 species of birds without an environmental impact assessment
The pyrotechnic show lasted exactly seven minutes and managed to surprise even Fallas commissions that have traveled from Valencia to Madrid.
“Impressive,” said Paco Quiles, a member of one who traveled by train with his family to the capital this Saturday.
Quiles knows about
mascletàs
, he does not miss one in his city and, nevertheless, he has marveled at the colored smoke that formed the flag of the Valencian Community and at the final earthquake.
He didn't believe, he admits, that it would sound so loud, being in an open space.
Before the shots, music played.
Pasodobles of fallaes, a Madrid chotis and, to top it off,
Libre
, by Nino Bravo, Valencian, originally from Ayelo Malferit.
Just at that moment, a commission from the Popular Party of the Valencia Community, which included Carlos Mazón, president of the Generalitat, and María José Catalá, appeared at the Manzanares River.
Almeida had excused himself from the guests at the Cibeles Palace, where a reception was held a couple of hours before, and has not attended the event.
This Sunday morning, two elderly women died in a fire at the Juan XXIII nursing home, in the Moncloa-Aravaca district, and the mayor has joined the mourning.
“I send my condolences to the family members,” Almeida said from the City Hall headquarters.
Then, he added: “Bringing the
mascletà
to Madrid is not bringing, as someone has said [referring to councilor Rita Maestre] a mountain of firecrackers, but rather it is bringing the deep essence of the soul of Valencia.”
The mayor of Valencia, María José Catalá, and the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, before the Madrid 'mascletà', at the Cibeles palace.
Carlos Luján (Europa Press)
The show has begun with the precision of a clock.
12.50.
Boom.
The first tros d'avis
is fired
, the first warning that the
mascletà
was arriving .
Dozens of parrots, pigeons and magpies have taken to flying at high altitudes over the Manzanares River.
12.55.
Boom.
The second
tros d'avis
sounds and a couple of ducks that were still playing in the waters came out in terror.
13.00.
The show begins from the esplanade next to the King's Bridge, on the banks of the Manzanares River.
An aerial section begins to detonate and, on the other bank of the river, the public has fallen silent.
Now, only the firecrackers could be heard flying through the air and exploding in the sky.
Then came a smoke show of colors and sounds.
The roar invaded everything and resounded, with force, at the most anticipated moment: the final earthquake.
It smelled of chemicals, bits of pyrotechnics flew through the air and some fell into the river.
Everything shook.
And suddenly it was over, followed by a few seconds of silence.
Then, the audience burst into applause, euphoric.
Juan Sancho has arrived from the Valencian municipality of Rafelbunyol with his son.
He woke up early to take the train in Valencia at 7:30 and arrive in Madrid;
Sancho wore a black t-shirt with a message: “The
mascletà
is not a bunch of firecrackers.”
Although he didn't miss a shot during Fallas, he couldn't miss the opportunity to come to Madrid either, he says.
“It excites me, for me it's like listening to a song.
It is a harmony made with a powerful sound and it has its charm, if you understand it,” he commented.
He has heard something about the controversy in Madrid.
“I understand the defense of animals...maybe it is a bit exaggerated,” he stated, and then clarified, “although they could have looked for another, less natural location.”
A few meters away from him, a group of girls from a club were shouting with excitement, their uncles were on the other side of the river: they were part of the personnel that was going to do the detonation.
“There is never enough [pyrotechnics].
And we want to see the faces of the people of Madrid when they see our traditions and our culture,” admitted Isabel, with enthusiasm.
The president of the Valencian Community celebrated the spectacle in front of the cameras.
“For those who talk about noise, I hope you have come and realized that this is a perfect symphony, mixing musicality, noise and emotion.
This is culture,” Mazón stated.
The mayor of Valencia also smiled.
“It was a very professional shot.
I have seen the flag of Madrid, Spain and the Valencian Community and I think it is one of the most beautiful and symbolic gestures,” she said, after taking photos with the major falleras and their commissions.
On the north side of the fences, councilor Sara Ladra (Más Madrid) has criticized the act.
“It is a terrible idea for fauna, for biodiversity.
Let's not forget that this is an electoral bet between Mayor Almeida and the mayor of Valencia," said Ladra and recalled that, until now, the contracting file with the details of the event is not known.
“We still do not have access to the file, when we have it we will consider legal action if necessary,” she added.
Madrid and Valencia have not skimped on advertising.
The
mascletà
has not only been played on the Puente del Rey and its surroundings, but also on local television.
À Punt has made a special broadcast from 12:30 on a signal shared with Telemadrid.
Neighbors from the neighborhoods surrounding Madrid Río and environmentalists protest against the fireworks show. Álvaro García
The Valencian falleras arrived in Madrid Río to witness the Madrid 'mascletà', on the Puente del Rey, this Sunday.Álvaro García
The president of the Valencian Community, Carlos Mazón, among the falleras, before witnessing the pyrotechnic show, held this Sunday in Madrid.
Alvaro Garcia
Several people observed the colored smoke during the first Madrid 'mascletà', held this Sunday on the King's Bridge in Madrid Río.Álvaro García
Several people demonstrated against the pyrotechnic show, this Sunday on the King's Bridge in Madrid Río. Álvaro García
Hundreds of people witnessed the 'mascletà' in Madrid Río, this Sunday.Álvaro García
Attendees of the 'mascletà' witnessed the event held this Sunday in Madrid Río.Álvaro García
Dozens of people attended the first Madrid 'mascletà', on the King's Bridge in Madrid Río, this Sunday. Álvaro García
On the other side of the Manzanares, the reactions were anything but festive.
An hour earlier, environmentalists and citizens who were against the event demonstrated against the detonation of more than 307 kilos of gunpowder.
Pedro Herráiz, president of the Puerta del Ángel Neighborhood Association, has arrived among the first with a pair of earplugs.
“I already know what a
mascletà
sounds like ,” he said, with a nervous laugh.
“This event is barbaric from an environmental point of view, it threatens almost a hundred species of birds, people with autism, and the elderly.
This is an electoral promise between the city councils of Madrid and Valencia.
It has nothing to do with culture, nor with twinning,” Herráiz assured.
And he finished: “Madrid seems to be becoming the capital of noise.”
Alberto Colomo, president of the Manzanares-Casa de Campo Neighborhood Association that called for Sunday's demonstrations, has also rejected the activity: "We do not want this to be the city model, which is promoted with large events at the expense of the neighbors and at the enviroment".
The protests even began the day before.
On Saturday at noon, around 400 people, according to data from the Government Delegation, gathered in front of the Cibeles Palace to protest against the
mascletà
.
Anima Naturalis, the organizing association, had requested permission months ago because, initially, the
mascletà
would be held there.
Jaime Pozada, coordinator of Anima Naturalis, recalled, with figures from Ecologistas en Acción and SEO/Bird Life, that more than 130 species of birds live in the Manzanares River.
“If what they wanted was to sponsor Valencia and the Fallas, there are many other alternatives to promote the beautiful things they have, you bring a
ninot
and you have something spectacular.
"It's much more visual than seven minutes of deafening noise."
Teresa Amor, president of the Príncipe Pío Neighborhood Association, criticized that the City Council had not listened to them.
“The mayor has not counted on the neighbors at all.
"He decides, he agrees in Valencia on what seemed good to him and suddenly we find ourselves with a
mascletà
that makes no sense," she commented and lamented the impact on the river that she has seen change as a neighbor who has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years. .
“A lot of progress had been made with the fauna.
Before it was full of bugs that would bite you, those who lived on Aniceto Marinas Street couldn't even go that way.
But the river has regenerated, you can walk there,” Amor explained.
One of the protesters in Madrid Río this Sunday.Álvaro García
The Spanish Society of Ornithology SEO Bird Life, for its part, has carried out several monitoring in recent hours to try to measure the possible environmental impact that the
mascletà
may have had on the Manzanares ecosystem.
They have made transects, a series of trips along the river counting species and specimens, to compare, at various times, if there have been any changes.
There have been counts at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday and more will be done the next few days at 5:00 p.m.
“We want to record what will happen to the birds if they take a while to return.
We will help injured specimens if we find them,” explained Esther Murciano, from SEO Bird Life.
Monitoring will be supported by some neighbors who will take tours and take photos and videos before, during and after the event.
In a first check, the company confirms that pyrotechnic residues have been left on the esplanade.
“There are ropes, toxic remains and plastics that have jumped into the air.
The zero impact that they said... has not been such,” Murciano confirmed.
The image of a female Mallard dead in the grass circulates on social networks.
The SEO Bird Life team is searching for the animal and warns that only an autopsy can determine the causes of death.
The consequence.
A few meters from the Almeida mascletá, Madrid Rio. It was sent by a neighbor in the area #NoALaMascleta @MistralS @AVVerdeImperial @SEO_BirdLife @juralde @FernandoVallada @hope_enpie pic.twitter.com/IfpLwII7SB
— Rosa M. Tristán (@RosaTristan) February 18, 2024
Rosa Más, biologist and activist from València Animal Save, explains that noises like the
mascletà
produce disorientation in birds, because they have more sensitive hearing.
Other effects, she adds, are startles, hearing damage, nest abandonment and behavioral changes.
This animal rights group has seen the effects in Valencia and the so-called flight effect.
“The smoke generated can also be harmful.
When the firecracker explodes, it emits particulate matter and, in addition, has compounds such as nitrate, sulfur, carbon and copper metal salts,” details Más. The most serious thing, he indicates, is that these effects are even greater in recovering ecosystems, such as It is the Manzanares River.
“They are fragile ecosystems,” she concludes.
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