Naturally, the presence of the two CC councillors in Puerto de la Cruz, Alonso Acevedo and Diego Moreno, plays a crucial role, but the support of the Portuense Citizen Assembly (ACP) has been the determining factor for the censorship motion in the main city of Northern Tenerife scheduled for the upcoming Friday the 16th of this month. The ACP’s support was confirmed during a meeting of non-affiliated members of this assembly that took place on Wednesday, July 31, with the attendance of 24 individuals, and concluded with a unanimous vote to break the government pact with Marco González’s PSOE. However, there was a greater division concerning the censorship of his partner since 2019, with 15 affirmative votes, 6 against, and 3 abstentions in the second vote.
The assembly, as outlined the next day by David Hernández, spokesperson for ACP and a longstanding figure in this amalgamation of local left-wing forces, lasted three hours and was described by Hernández as the toughest and most beautiful experience he had ever encountered.
According to various sources, the meeting was scheduled with the usual notice (over the previous weekend) and the attendance was within normal range, despite not reaching the level seen during ACP’s emergence. The increased presence of members supporting Hernández’s stance, advocating for severing ties with González due to a perceived lack of left-wing actions in the last 5 years, compared to those in favour of forming a progressive opposition without aligning with the PP, who currently holds the Mayor’s Office, and with CC, likely tilted the balance. The lack of mobilisation by the latter within the party was cited as crucial in the final decision.
Some sources claim that Hernández could have become mayor by accepting proposals from his current partners, particularly from the PP, in the past. However, as he emphasised during the presentation of the new agreement, he is thankful to the conservatives and CC for accepting the same pact he signed with the PSOE in June 2023. This agreement allows them to pursue the left-wing policies outlined by his party, particularly focusing on sustainability, whereas he accuses the PSOE of stifling their two councillors.
Hernández views the new government as a local “emergency” in response to the “paralysis” and loss of “authentic” priorities under González’s leadership, portraying his team as a group claiming to represent the local Socialist Party, which has deep historical roots in the city.
These arguments were presented in the assembly against those who believe that aligning with the right is detrimental not only to Puerto de la Cruz but also to the ACM project itself. Supporters of the decision believe that this move, considered “risky,” “brave,” or “necessary” depending on one’s viewpoint, will not impact them negatively in the upcoming local elections, despite varying interpretations among individuals within the PSOE, other parties, Assembly members, and the general public.
The CC past of the other ACM councillor
While David Hernández is a well-established figure of the alternative left in Puerto de la Cruz and Northern Tenerife, belonging to Sí Se Puede, having been part of nationalist, assembly, and left-wing lists previously, a key promoter of ACP, and drawing inspiration from experiences like IPO in La Orotava, the other Assembly councillor in the current Puerto de la Cruz Corporation, Alberto (Tito) Cabo, has a more centrist political background. He was affiliated with CC until shortly before the 2019 elections when he decided to part ways.
Assisting Hernández in the ACP candidacy in the elections, they secured three seats. Fast forward to 2023, the party’s representation decreases to two councillors. Cabo, who was placed as number three, got excluded. However, due to the resignation of the candidate who held the second position, former councillor María Jesús Hernández, Cabo ended up being part of the new mandate from the beginning.
The CC assembly set to ratify the censure, slated for this Friday
Conversely, on Tuesday afternoon, the president and secretary of the CC management committee in Puerto de la Cruz, the nationalist councillors Alonso Acevedo and Diego Moreno, who also signed the censure, urged the party’s members and supporters in the city to attend the extraordinary assembly called for by Acevedo via various official channels, social media, and even WhatsApp audios. The assembly is scheduled to be held this Friday at the Marquesa hotel from 8:00 p.m., the customary venue for CC assemblies following the closure of its last headquarters.
Initially, as reported by Acevedo and verified by Canarias Ahora, all indications point towards a widespread support from the attendees for the decision to remove the PSOE from the ruling coalition, alongside the PP and the left wing of the ACP. Particularly noteworthy is the absence of key members who might oppose governing alongside a party positioned to the left of the socialists, often labelled as “podemitas”. Instead, they seem inclined to keep González in the minority, choosing not to partake or rally their supporters as they believe it would cause less harm to the party.
Nonetheless, concerns have been raised over the violation of article 33 of the CC statutes, which stipulates that an extraordinary assembly must be convened with a minimum notice of five days. This breach bolsters the likelihood of a challenge, although there are limited avenues for appeals, and Acevedo is confident that any such attempts are unlikely to succeed given the backing of the “island and regional” executives.
With each passing day, as the historic plenary session draws closer, all signs indicate that the third censure against a socialist mayor of Puerto de la Cruz will be ratified on Friday the 16th.
