Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): El alcalde promete más cruceros para que los turistas visiten cada glaciar. - The mayor promises more cruises so that tourists may visit every glacier.

When you have a purpose clause and the subject of the main verb is different from the subject of the subordinate verb, Spanish requires para que + subjunctive. If you used only para plus an infinitive, it would imply the same subject for both actions.

Why is the verb visiten in the present subjunctive?

The para que construction expresses intention or purpose, which in Spanish triggers the subjunctive mood in the subordinate clause. Thus visiten (they visit) is in the present subjunctive.

Could we say El alcalde promete más cruceros para visitar cada glaciar?

Grammatically yes, but it changes the meaning: it would imply the mayor himself will visit each glacier. To show that the tourists are to visit them, you need para que los turistas visiten.

Why is cada glaciar singular? Isn’t he talking about all of the glaciers?

Cada always goes with a singular noun and means “each.” If you wanted to say “all the glaciers” collectively, you’d use todos los glaciares instead.

What does cruceros mean here—boats, cruise ships, something else?

Cruceros refers to cruise ships or boat tours—large passenger vessels that carry tourists. It’s essentially the same as English “cruises.”

Can prometer take a noun directly, as in promete más cruceros?

Yes. Prometer can take either a direct object (something promised, e.g. promete más cruceros) or an infinitive (an action promised, e.g. promete construir más puertos).

Why isn’t alcalde capitalized?

In Spanish, common nouns and job titles (alcalde, presidente, doctor) are lowercase unless they start a sentence or form part of a formal title.