José Domingo Regalado has reclaimed the position of mayor of Granadilla de Abona, located in the southern part of Tenerife, following the formal adoption of a motion of censure put forth by his political party, the Canarian Coalition, with backing from Vox’s far-right faction and one of the two councillors from the PP. The Socialist mayor, Jennifer Miranda, who received the highest votes in the 2023 elections, has thus been ousted from the Mayor’s Office.
Until now, Miranda had governed alongside the two PP councillors, who were indeed expelled from their party specifically for backing her induction, one of whom, Marcos Antonio Rodríguez, has now endorsed the censure motion enabling Regalado to regain the Mayor’s Office of Granadilla.
He previously executed this action in 2016, after yet another motion of censure and subsequently during the 2019 to 2023 term.
The plenary was surrounded by significant anticipation, featuring a group of residents who, on one side, shouted slogans in support of Regalado, while another group protested by chanting “fascists of the City Council.”
Granadilla de Abona becomes the third municipality in the Canary Islands where the Canarian Coalition and the Popular Party have established a governing agreement with the far-right Vox, following Teguise in Lanzarote and Arona in Tenerife.
As a result, it has been reaffirmed for the third instance that there seems to be no so-called red line established by CC before the recent elections against forming pacts with Vox. In reality, the general secretary of CC and the current president of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, asserted that Vox represents everything he opposes for the Canary Islands. Furthermore, Clavijo mentioned that there was unanimous agreement within the party to be “absolutely clear” that they would not collaborate with the party of Santiago Abascal, which is now under investigation for illegal financing.
The Hotel de la Tejita and the motor circuit, crucial elements of the motion, according to Miranda
Jennifer Miranda (PSOE) contended that the motion of censure “does not reflect the will of the populace” or “public dissatisfaction,” but has been “predetermined, orchestrated and methodical” from the office of the Canary Islands government, rather than an initiative by Regalado, who she describes as “on the payroll of President Fernando Clavijo”.
Furthermore, all of this has occurred “with the vital support” of Vox, irrespective of “their immense xenophobia, legitimising violence against women, and denial of climate change or LGTBI rights.”
“Granadilla is not for sale; the town cannot be traded for favours or bowing to the powerful,” the outgoing mayor has also asserted, linking this political shift to the opposition faced by the former local government regarding the Hotel de la Tejita and the motor circuit.
“No one is in the wrong; this motion does not pertain to governance or stability, but rather to commerce, involving those in power who refuse to accept that a government will not bow to economic interests that have found in Canarian coalition their staunch ally and loyal servant,” he stated.
Miranda expressed gratitude towards the mayor of the PP, Bianca Cerbán, for not supporting the motion of censure, “for being true to her promise and honouring the commitment, not just to her party but to the entire community.” He also acknowledged her governing colleagues, who, in the span of 20 months, have achieved a thousand times more and better than CC and PP.
The PP councillor whose vote was pivotal for the motion of censure to proceed, Marco Antonio Rodríguez, remarked that this has been the “most challenging” decision he has ever had to make in both his political and personal life, alongside his backing for Miranda’s investiture.
Rodríguez highlighted several factors that influenced his decision, such as interference in the councils managed by his party or “the attempts to divide” the PP of Granadilla. Additionally, he pointed out that the PSOE has treated him and his coalition partner “as employees” rather than as government collaborators.
He addressed Miranda to remind her that he “risked everything” to see her become mayor, and from the perspective of the circumstances, it appears she has “forgotten” this.
Lastly, he stated that “the PP cannot continue to be complicit with this government,” considering that “without personnel, it is impossible” to advance the promised projects.
Vox spokesperson, José Sanabria, has condemned the “discredit and harassment campaign” that he claims the PSOE has directed at him and his party associate, describing the tactics as “manipulation and fear-mongering,” labelling them “fascists and Nazis.”
Sanabria believes there are substantial reasons to oust the PSOE from the local government of Granadilla, citing their “inaction and undefined projects,” and similar to Regalado, noted that the representatives of the “centre-right” in the municipal assembly.
David Santos, representative for the Socialist Group, has characterised Sanabria as “Santiago Abascal from Aliexpress,” while PP mayor Marcos Antonio Rodríguez admonished him for questioning the mayor’s leadership, noting that “two days ago he made outrageous statements,” through a motion that was signed at the town hall “alone and through the back door,” which he labelled as “a political corpse.”
He disclosed that at the end of the previous summer, when “the rumours” about a motion of censure in Granadilla resurfaced, “emissaries” sent by Fernando Clavijo suggested that the PSOE reach an agreement with CC to govern that municipality, adding that if they had no “principles, loyalty, or word,” today’s assembly would not have taken place.
“Today Granadilla stops having a mayor and instead has a puppet, who lacks an independent voice,” he said, referencing Galadado.
María Candelaria Rodríguez, spokesperson for CC, has openly criticised the “double standards” of the PSOE regarding their collaboration with the far-right, pointing out that there are numerous municipalities on the Peninsula where they cooperate with Vox and reminding everyone that in the lagoon, the presidency of the Coexistence Committee of this group was given in the Lagoon.
He insisted that Granadilla could not “tolerate the pride and partisanship” of the PSOE and that the motion of censure has the support of over 8,000 votes compared to the 6,000 garnered by the PSOE in the last elections. “We possess all the legitimacy and representation,” he asserted.
Rodríguez reproached Jennifer Miranda, stating that “the Mayor’s Office has been fantastic” while she has been “unable to collaborate with other administrations” as she was more interested in “gaining media attention and earning merits within the PSOE.”
