The secretary of Organisation for the Canary Islands PSOE and regional deputy, Nira Fierro, stated on Thursday to Diary of Notices that both the governing body of the island’s socialists and that of Tenerife did “everything possible to avoid the motion of no confidence” directed at Marco González in Puerto de la Cruz, which was realised on the 16th of this month following an agreement made between the PP, the Portuense Citizen Assembly (ACP) and CC.
In reply to criticism from the local PSOE leadership within the tourist city, particularly expressed in a letter sent to both the insular and regional offices wherein they conveyed their sense of powerlessness and isolation, Fierro stressed that the sole responsibility for the situation in the consistory lay with ACP “due to their betrayal of the left” by collaborating with the right of the PP and CC. Furthermore, he referred to the comments made by the socialist minister and regional secretary, Ángel Víctor Torres, regarding the solid backing for González to reclaim the Mayor’s Office in 2027, and his reservations about the existence of progressive policies in the city, counter to what ACP claimed to justify their actions.
When questioned about whether PSOE should have exerted greater pressure and specifically warned CC of potential repercussions in La Laguna, where they share governance with the nationalists, the Secretary of Organisation preferred to avoid discussing other towns or detailing the efforts made to undermine the operation, insisting that the pivotal issue rested with what was determined by ACP, which the socialists regard as being explicitly contrary to the popular will reflected in the elections on May 28, 2023.
In those elections, the local socialists increased their representation from 8 to 10 councillors, falling just 14 votes short of an absolute majority, while ACP lost one councillor (from 3 to 2), the PP decreased from 8 to 7, and CC maintained the two seats they had possessed since 2019, albeit with a diminished vote count.
When asked if she is concerned that, as suggested by sources in senior CC and PP, the events in Puerto de la Cruz might have implications for other municipalities in Tenerife in the forthcoming months to the detriment of PSOE, Fierro expressed confidence that this would not occur. Notably, the situations in Granadilla de Abona (with socialist Jennifer Miranda serving as mayor) and Arico (Olivia Delgado, PSOE) are under scrutiny, with Güímar also a possibility. “Our mayors in these locations are at ease, that is what they report to us, and above all, they are focusing on what they ought to be doing: working for their municipalities as they have previously.”
In the meantime, SSP conveyed its support and respect for the ACP’s decision in a statement issued on Thursday.
