There is an Alicante to which The bonfires do not arrive. The barracks do not occupy the streets, the daily sound does not flinch for firecrackers or for music, there are no lights between lamps or beauties dressed as Alicante bride. None of the 91 Monuments that are planted in the city have their place in the neighborhoods of Colonia Requena y Juan XXIII. In the first, bonfires are not planted since the beginning of the century, with the disappearance of their homonymous commission. Similar situation occurred in Juan XXIII that became a consolidated district with 500 cards and give the party You are Belleas del Focbut in 2015having only TEN FESTEROShe decided not to plant anymore, last step until his dissolution.
The reasons for the disappearance of the bonfires, not only as associations, but even as a major party of these neighborhoods, are found in the lack of economic resources and in him accentuated demographic change of the last two decades. The postal code 03014which houses Colonia Requena, is the least income of Alicante. Same neighborhood where the 54 % of the population is foreign. In John XXIII, the 30 % of the neighbors.
Laura Morenowho was the last president of John XXIII, launched at the time a resounding phrase: «There is no commission, because there is no neighborhood». At least, not the neighborhood in 1973when the bonfire was born.
Neighbors of Juan XXIII, a neighborhood without a party on the weekend of bonfires. / Pilar Cortés
Almost ten years later, on a weekend of 2025 bonfiresthe last festful sign that is seen when entering Juan XXIII is the hut thunder and bacores. A few meters inside, in the roundabout where the street of the Journalist Francisco Bas Mingot (better known as «The Cuesta de Juan XXIII»), There is no trace of the bonfires, and that one was planted there. A normal day, like any other. In the few bars and open stores with two sidewalks full of empty commercial premises do not include the posters with the photos of the beauties, so common in all other districts. On the terrace of a bar, Antonio Martín Piqueras He argued with a friend and the owner of the establishment about when it was the last year that a barrack was installed in the street. There was no agreement, but between 10 and 20 years They have passed, at least. «If there is no money there is no party, it's that simple. There is no one who pays here», Martin thinks. “For 20 years this has been filled with Arabs, they are not interested in fires,” adds another neighbor from his table.
«If there is no money there is no party, it's that simple. Here in the neighborhood there is no people pay »
Right next door, a small food store is treated by Elmehdi Bakhouch and his wife. They carry nine years living in the neighboring neighborhood of Virgen del Remediothat does have two commissions. «I am not in any bonfire, I once went to a table in the neighborhood. My 19 -year -old son does party, and all the boys in the area, ”explains Bakhouch.
MONUMENT OF THE JUAN XXIII BOGUERA OF THE YEAR 2008, IN THE ROUNTER OF THE START OF THE STREET FRANCISCO BAS MONGOT. / Cristina de Middel
At the top of the slope the neighborhood ends, and after another roundabout begins Colonia Requena. On the street of Quartznext to the mosque, Toni Molina He attends his bar-restaurant. In front of him, on the street stairs TopazMolina says that «the bonfire was planted, in 2002 It was the last time. I arrived here with 10 years and I remember one that was a Mazinger Z». A long time ago, and Molina affects the demographic change: “Here half of the population is Arabic, they celebrate their parties, that of the lamb, not the bonfires.”
«I am not in any bonfire. My 19 -year -old son does party, and all the boys in the area »
That does not mean that among the native population they are not yet FESTEROS. The problem is that, given the economic difficulties that led to the disappearance of local commissions, baker Survivors They enrolled in other districts of the city. This is the case of Paqui Pérez: «My daughters are very holiday, but they are in a center commission, in Villavieja bridge. Now they will be going to the mascletan».
At a table, Abdulhadi El Bouchtaoui y Said Zamouri They shared coffee. One carries 20 years In Alicante, the other already 31. The party, however, does not attract them. «I respect the Christian party, but I am not part. The neighborhood has filled these years of Moroccans no longer interest them, ”shares Bouchtaoui. He has young children, «they do like to party. It's okay to enjoy, the important thing is to study and do things well ».
Also on the terrace, Javier Cachinaan immigrant with almost two decades in the city, remembers that when he arrived, being younger, he liked to party in bonfires. A custom that, he says, has been losing over the years.
There were almost two in the afternoon and when leaving the neighborhood, the first bonfire towards the center was Virgen del Remedio-La Cruz. Halfway to Luceosresonated in the distance the mascletana party to party that is getting more and more Far from the forgotten neighborhoods of the city.
