Dear Fellow Crew Members,
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my beloved Cachirulo Crew for nominating me as a candidate for Peñista del Año, and to all the crews for the confidence they have shown in me by choosing me for this honour. I would also like to thank the Brotherhood of Saint Roch for the tremendous work they do in maintaining the Hermitage and its surroundings, as well as for preserving our religious traditions.
Being chosen as Peñista del Año is an extraordinary honour for someone who first put on the red shirt of Cachirulo Crew at the age of twelve, back in 1979—the very year the crew was founded—and who has proudly remained a member ever since. For someone who lives everything that the San Roque Festivities represent with such enthusiasm and devotion, this distinction brings a sense of honour, pride and happiness that is impossible to put into words. No matter how much I wrote, it would never be enough. All I can say is that having the privilege of wearing the shirt bearing the colours of every crew and representing what I believe are the greatest festivities in the world makes me the happiest person in the galaxy. And this year, even more so, as I have the honour of being the first Peñista del Año of the new millennium.
To everyone who makes these festivities possible—the committee members of every crew, all the crew members themselves, and the Brotherhood of Saint Roch—I would like to offer my sincere thanks and encourage them to continue working with the same dedication and commitment they have always shown. I would also ask every crew to place the interests of the San Roque Festivities above their own individual interests, because these celebrations are greater than any single crew. And to all the crew members, besides encouraging you to continue joining and supporting your crews—because you are the true soul of these festivities, and without you they simply would not exist—I would also like to ask you to carry the San Roque spirit of friendship, kindness, joy and togetherness beyond these four days of celebration. Although the festivities themselves last only a few days, for those of us who truly love Saint Roch, the spirit of San Roque lives throughout the entire year. I would also like to invite everyone who enjoys the festivities without belonging to a crew to take the step and become a member, because being part of a crew is one of the finest ways to experience the true spirit of San Roque.
Thank you all very much, and I look forward to seeing you on 13 August in Plaza del Mercado for the Chupinazo. Although it will be my hand that lights the ceremonial rocket, the heart behind it will belong to every single crew member.
SAN ROQUE 2001!
LONG LIVE SAINT ROCH—ALWAYS!
