Filo Cañete (54 years old) became, in 2021, the first mayor in the history of Sant Adrià de Besòs. This psychologist by profession has marked the objective that stops talking about vulnerability and insecurity every time its municipality is mentioned. “It is a fighter city. We are almost 40,000 neighbors with many potentialities. We must continue working on policies that help compensate for social needs,” he says. Cañete entered the city council of his city by the hand of Mayor Sito Canga. He had been one of his teachers. “I knew about my concerns, I proposed it to me and I launched without hesitation for a second,” he recalls. He entered lists in 2007 and climbed to became the first deputy mayor and, later, in the first mayor of a city that knows perfectly. Cañete confesses that his political referents are Pedro Sánchez, Salvador Illa or his “political godmother”, Lluïsa Moret. Even so, he emphasizes that his father was the person who has most influenced him ideologically.
Ask. On many occasions there is talk of Sant Adrià to refer to the neighborhood of La Mina.
Answer. In the mine monumental buildings such as and 16 premises were built for about 1,000 people. The people who lived in Barracas from all over Barcelona were placed there and the space became a vertical shacking neighborhood. [Josep Maria] Porcioles, [exalcalde de Barcelona]vulnerability moved us without Sant Adrià having resources. It is a backpack that we still drag.
P. Talk about decades ago,
R. Sant Adrià only cannot meet the needs of the mine. The Consortium of the mine does a good job, but cannot end the main problem of the neighborhood: the drug. As long as there are family struggles about who has the power in drug management, in possession of weapons or who believes to have power over the neighborhood, it will be very difficult.
P. What can be done?
R. In these 40 years the mine’s environment has changed, but crime continues. There are reference equipment and opportunities are generated for young people to have references and are not on the street. The neighbors must be able to enjoy public space safely. There are times that there is impunity in uncivic acts. , but also expressions such as all neighbors are criminals or that the mine is the closest to the west.
P. Has Sant Adrià felt alone in security matters?
R. Sometimes yes. In past legislatures, the number of Mossos was reduced and in the mine we not only need agents, we need public order bodies. There are uncivic acts such as a discussion or people who start making a barbecue in the street that ends up becoming a public order problem. Two patrols go and 50 or 100 people appear. You need the brim and the Arch, proactive riot.
P. In the municipality there are more complicated places in addition to the neighborhood of La Mina.
R. Sant Adrià is framed between two complicated neighborhoods. On the one hand the mine and, on the other, Sant Roc de Badalona. Also the neighborhoods of Artigues and Llefià de Badalona are bordering. In Sant Adrià we are 40,000 neighbors, but we have the influence of this whole environment.
P. But in Sant Adrià, there is not only vulnerability, right?
R. With the Olympics the coast was improved, with the Fòrum the port was developed and the Catalan neighborhood was promoted. Now we are on a third chance. There is also another great news, this new opportunity can help an environment punished for its own history.
P. How will the environment of the three chimneys benefit the neighbors?
R. Almost 1,800 homes will be built, of which 40% will be official protection. Half rent and the other half sale. There will be training equipment linked to hub digital and video game that will be installed in Catalonia Media City. We are talking to come TV3. We seek economic activity that generates opportunities and wealth.
P. Right next,
R. The coastal beach closed in May 2021 and has reopened this February. I have been a user of this beach and its reopening has been a personal matter. We had to agree with many administrations, do studies, analysis, projects, tenders, hiring … in all this we had to dedicate more than a year. When everything was approved, the work was done and, while the report was written, we suffered temporary such as Ciarán and Nelson that changed the dynamics of the beach and had to make analytics again. They did not go well and we returned to the exit box.
P. In Sant Adrià everything always costs more?
S. It may cost, but all performances and projects will put Sant Adrià in another scenario. It is the time of Besòs.
