The PP has made a decisive move to oust its natural political ally in the Canary Islands, Coalición Canaria, from the Town Hall of Güímar. They govern together in the regional Executive, in the Cabildo of Tenerife, and in the Town Hall of the Tenerife capital, but not in Güímar, a municipality in the east of the island, partly because the figure of the popular leader, Carmen Luisa Castro, did not convince the nationalists.
Therefore, despite the PP winning the last local elections, Coalición Canaria chose to ally with the PSOE and Sí Se Puede, leaving Castro out of the equation. Today, the tables have turned, and it is Luisa Castro herself who is leading a motion of no confidence to unseat the mayor from Coalición Canaria and return to power, where she has previously served two terms, this time with the support of two defectors from the PSOE and a councillor from Nueva Canarias.
The latter (Carlos Llarena) has been warned by the secretary general of his party, Luis Campos, that the motion of no confidence “does not have the backing” of the organisation and has asked him to retract, or appropriate measures will be taken.
Campos explained that the formation “had no knowledge, neither nationally nor locally” of this initiative, and the first news of it was “this morning, once it was officially registered”. Moreover, Campos stated that it was carried out “behind the party’s back”.
Regarding the actions of the two PSOE councillors who have also supported the motion, Campos indicated that it constitutes “a clear case of political defection”.
NC-BC has insisted that “under no circumstances will it participate in a motion of no confidence that involves a case of political defection. Therefore, we do not support this initiative in any case”.
Coalición Canaria and Political Defection
For its part, Coalición Canaria (CC) of Tenerife has defended the “excellent” management of the mayor of Güímar and regretted that the PP has relied on two defecting councillors from the PSOE who are part of the current government group to carry out the motion of no confidence.
However, this is a very similar move to the one executed by CC itself in 2020 to expel the PSOE from the mayoralty of Santa Cruz de Tenerife when, with the support of the PP and a defecting councillor from Ciudadanos (Evelyn Alonso), it seized control from Patricia Hernández, who had won the elections and had formed government with the support, precisely, of Ciudadanos.
Despite this precedent, Coalición Canaria now asserts that “the internal division of socialists in the municipality will lead to a change of government based on two defectors in a decision that will only paralyse the municipality and harm its residents”.
For CC of Tenerife, a governing group supported by “defectors and not by political parties is a government that is more focused on personal interests rather than the common good”. It adds that “the only thing this manoeuvre will generate is the paralysis of the municipality and the deterioration of public services, as it responds solely to party interests”.
Rejection from the PSOE of Tenerife
Shortly after the motion was registered, the PSOE of Tenerife publicly expressed its rejection of it. The insular secretary of Organisation, Óscar Olave, emphasised in a statement that “the position of the PSOE of Tenerife is clear: this motion does not have the party’s backing nor does it respond to an organic decision”.
In this regard, Olave indicated that the party will follow its internal procedures according to the statutes, “guaranteeing respect for the rights and guarantees of the councillors, while also ensuring that the official position of the party, which does not support this motion, is upheld”.
“The PSOE is an organisation that complies with agreements, defends institutional stability, and acts coherently,” added the insular leader.
Additionally, he considered that the motion of no confidence “represents yet another escalation in the deterioration of the cascading pact between Coalición Canaria and the Popular Party, one of whose most recent chapters was the vote for the mayorship of La Guancha, where CC took control from its partner in the Cabildo of Tenerife and the Government of the Canaries”.
Podemos Rejects the Motion
César Bethencourt Yanes, the councillor from Unidas Sí Podemos, has also rejected the motion of no confidence as it represents “a missed opportunity for the people by blocking proposals that were becoming transformative” and “a blockage in the continuity of social and participatory measures that were improving life in the municipality”.
The left-wing coalition categorically condemns “this operation as one of the worst expressions that can occur in the representative democratic system”. César Bethencourt, councillor from Unidas Sí Podemos, highlights that “this measure is based on the disloyalty of two individuals towards their political organisation”. The left-wing councillor rejects the attitude of the two PSOE councillors, considering them “traitors to their own colleagues for motivations that only cater to their personal interests”.
Unidas Sí Podemos claims the political action undertaken in these two years of mandate in the areas they have managed. Bethencourt highlights that “the projects initiated from Citizen Participation and Agriculture have improved the democratic quality of the municipality”.
