“Currently, Social Services is facing a critical situation,” stated the area councillor, Ruth Guacimara Martín (CC), during the Plenary of Arona. She informed the forum that “personal and permanent stress situations are being experienced because we are unable to meet the social requirements of the municipality.” The primary reason for this is The inability to hire staff due to the restrictions imposed by the central government.
In response to a query from the mayor Dácil León (More for Arona) regarding the staffing of the senior centres in the municipality, based on a proposal made by her party colleague Pura Martín while she held responsibility for the area until the 15th, Ruth Martín described the mayor’s question as an “absurdity” for being raised “ten days after the cessation of her colleague’s duties.” Out of “respect,” she replied, clarifying that “proposing is not sufficient.” “With the current restrictions, it is impossible to” allocate more personnel to the elderly centres, although efforts will be made “to alleviate, as much as possible, the current situation.”
This became apparent during the First plenary session held by the Arona City Council following the expulsion of more by Arona from the municipal government, during which the revocation of the delegations for the four mayors was formalised: Dácil León, Juan Sebastián Roque, Pura Martín, and Luis García, who made the only reference to this matter.
MXA requests clarifications
In the final plea made during the plenary, the focus shifted to the comments made by the mayor regarding the management of the areas he oversaw in Arona until the 14th, “where it was suggested that he had doubts about our management and was unhappy with certain issues he detected. We implore him to shed light on this, explain to the public, or approach the courts, should he consider it necessary, to clarify any obscure matters, in accordance with his remarks.” Naturally, this includes the management of the PP and CC, “if the intent of these statements is to clarify absolutely everything processed in this City Council. Otherwise, we ask for an apology to this municipal group and the 3,160 individuals who supported him in 2023.” The mayor’s response: “We concluded today’s ordinary session at nine thirty in the morning.”
The session lasted 27 minutes (beginning with a slight delay), and in response to questions from the PSOE, the municipal government, comprising the PP, CC, and Vox, reported that during the last 18 months, urbanism granted 18 major work permits under the management of the dismissed Luis García, and No “any” assistance for housing rehabilitation was disbursed (those for 2024 are in the appeals period) by the area overseen by Sebastián Roque. The total amount of invoices settled by the former Tourism Councillor, Dácil León, “with repair warnings is unknown.”
Safeguarding staff
Luis García accused the PSOE (a party that expelled him during the last mandate and that he was later associated with more for Arona, following his conflict with socialist José Julián Mena) of subjecting municipal policy to a “Sick Judicialisation”, which “necessitates that municipal technicians must appear in court, as witnesses, to clarify their interventions in specific files or express their views on matters that are purely political.” Thus, García urged the Government Group to “safeguard and defend, with all means available, municipal staff and prevent any interference, pressure, or coercion in the proper execution of their duties, ensuring their independence, autonomy, and freedom.”
Upcoming plenary session
The reorganisation of the municipal government, as communicated by the mayor, Fatima Lemes, will be formalised during an ordinary plenary session anticipated for the end of next week. The Plenary will also be informed about the new distribution of responsibilities, which includes the two councillors from Vox, Naím Yánez (who assumes the second post in the mayor’s office along with responsibilities for tourism, culture, and historical heritage) and Melania Santos (Council Member Delegate for Economic Promotion, Primary Sector, and Employment). Salary assignments will also be addressed.
Breakdown of relations
The inclusion of Vox in the Government of Arona leads to “the definitive breakdown of relations with the City Council” by the Trans and LGBTIQA+ associations, libertrans, walking intersex and opening. With this “covenant of shame,” as described by these groups, “women, LGBTIQA+, and migrants are betrayed as Vox disparages ultra-right ideology.” From the designated areas, “machista, racist, and LGBTIFOBIC policies characteristic of the ultra-right can be implemented.”
