Rebeca Paniagua (1977, Santa Cruz de Tenerife) comes from communication to politics to lead in the next regional elections the list of the PP to the regional Parliament for Tenerife. He assures that he does not like comparisons with other colleagues who have also made the leap. More than because of her popularity, she believes that her party noticed her for her sincerity and honesty.
How did you get into politics?
I thought so. When they called me he gave me a vertigo that almost stuttered. And you quarantine it. And at first I didn’t say yes because I’m a journalist and people question you. But I decided to take the step because of my commitment to society and my desire to change things from within. I have received support from other parties and from my colleagues. Now I am stronger.
She is not the first companion to go into politics…
But I don’t like comparisons. I get along very well with Vidina. She has given me advice. But Vidina is Vidina and I am me. She does well in her world and I do well in mine. We defend the same interests but from another point of view. It has nothing to do with the fact that we are both journalists. There is politics
icos from all professions and I believe that they are not compared simply because they are from the same profession.
The Tezanos CIS talks about a takeover from the PP to CC, do you believe it?
I look at the surveys but I don’t take them into account but I think that on May 28 very good things will happen for our party.
But do you think it is possible to occur?
I think so. But it is not because the polls say so, but because the public will say so.
Could there be a pact in Canary Islands between the PP and the PSOE or is it a chimera?
I wish we didn’t have to agree with anyone. As of the 29th, it is other people who are going to make that decision, I would not agree with anyone.
But, if it were necessary to be able to govern, would you be in favor?
Yes, you don’t have to close yourself to anything. We must listen to everyone and the one who is closest to us electoral program with that we will agree. But I’m not going to make that decision.
Would you be comfortable if you had to agree with Vox?
We don’t contemplate it. I don’t think they will be necessary to agree on the Canary Islands and I hope they are not.
The PP has had 11 deputies in the last legislature. After how many would it be considered a success?
For me success would be 18 deputies. I think we deserve 18 and that’s why we’re fighting. And in Tenerife I think we are going to get a very good result.
What is the worst thing that has been managed in the Canary Islands?
The healing. They have had a historical budget. They say it themselves. They have had 500 million more. Where is that money? The Tacoronte Health Center has not resumed after its stoppage. Has something been done at the Hospital del Norte? That is regrettable. Why hasn’t it been provided with personnel and material? What has been done with the money? The Hospital del Sur lives up to his name: El Mojón. What has this government done? Collect and collect. If taxes had been lowered, that money or part of that money could be in the pocket of citizens. It has been preferred to have the money in the coffers instead of investing it. Citizens cannot be fooled. A mantra that is repeated to me on the street: Now they appear, they are all the same. They distrust politicians. Normal, we have given them arguments. How do you break that shell? Trying to make them trust you by telling how you are as a person.
Do you think that the PP turned to you precisely because of that closeness that you can have with part of the electorate having worked on television?
I think so too, I’m not going to fool you. But more because of my closeness and my honesty. I am a normal separated girl with two children, I live with my surrogate mother in La Cuesta. I have my job, I don’t need to live on politics. I come because I really want to change things.
Another of the issues that is being discussed in this campaign is the tourist tax. Does the PP believe that it is putting a stick in the wheel of what it feeds us?
It’s a mistake. The PSOE said that it was not the moment and now it has it in the electoral program. Podemos has defended it all this time and I think NC has too. We cannot throw stones on our own roof. We all know the weight that tourism has in our economy. What we have to do is promote it, not hinder it. We do not want to implement the ecotax. At least now is not the time.
What will they do in terms of housing, another of the great problems of the Archipelago?
First, the plan that was approved is put into operation. Public housing has not been built in the Canary Islands in all these years. 6,000 were promised, not one has been delivered. And for the young people who, now others are copying us political partiesthe guarantee of 20% of the cost of housing for young people so that they can access the purchase.
Another of the problems that Tenerife has are the roads. What projects are supported by the PP to solve it?
We propose the third lane, setting up parking areas in the municipalities so that residents can leave their car and take public transport. Promote the taxi sector that has been largely forgotten so that in municipalities with great dispersion a taxi service puts residents where public transport is. Why don’t we promote the train in Tenerife in the north and in the south? It is guided, it does not consume much territory, it is regular, punctual…
Why do you think that in Gran Canaria there is a greater consensus with the train than in Tenerife?
Don’t know. In fact, what builders complain about is the investment imbalance. How are the infrastructures in Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
The scuffles between Poli Suárez and the Minister of Social Care Noemí Santana have been epic this legislature. How can we do better in this area?
Let there be more technicians to assess the dependency law and more social workers in the municipalities. Noemí Santana puffs out her chest because she carries out a citizen income that has benefited 60,000 people when there are 360,000 people at risk of poverty. What merit does it have that he has carried out the citizen income four months after the elections.
