Manuel DominguezMayor of The Realejos since 2011 and current president of the Popular Party in the Canary Islands, confirmed this Tuesday, May 31, 2022, his voluntary resignation from the Mayor’s Office to be able to opt, in the 2023 elections, to become president of the Archipelago. He did so surrounded by his entire government team and his advisers, visibly moved, and convinced that his party colleague and first deputy mayor, Adolfo Gonzalez Perez-Siveriois the best possible relay: “I leave Los Realejos in the best hands”.
Domínguez did not want to make any political balance of his 11 years as mayor of Los Realejos, nor did he want to give too much detail about his future plans. His appearance was a succession of thanks in which he repeatedly mentioned the residents of the municipality, whom he considers his political mentors. «I resign from the Mayor’s Office of Los Realejos with all the pain of my soul and with great enthusiasm for the new challenge. This has been my town, it still is, and it is the place that has taken me flying politically speaking », assured Domínguez in his first words during the act held in the Plenary Hall. He recalled his beginnings “back in 2003” when, as number two of Sebastian Ledesmastarred in a dazzling rise of the PP in the town, which passed in four elections from 2 to 15 councillors.
The plenary session of the election of the new mayor is scheduled for June 11
Domínguez stressed that the merit of what it is today «is from The Realejos», which has given him progressive support since the beginning of his career and which, now, allows him to make the leap to the forefront of regional politics. He insisted on thanking, above all, “the affection received” and that he continues to receive from his neighbors. Among the thanks, special mention to his government colleagues and trusted personnel, current and past, and public officials and employees of the Los Realejos City Council, «who have helped me to pass, to get a good grade. He has simply had me conduct a magnificent orchestra, a magnificent team ». And she had a special memory for a treasurer of the City Council, Nieves de Paz, who in her first term, between 2003 and 2007, gave her “private classes from 8:00 to 9:00, every day.”
“I am convinced that the realejeros are not proud of me, but of us,” he stressed, referring to the government team that he formed in 2019 and that he will now leave as head of the northern City Council. «Thank you for the affection, thank you for the support and thank you for speaking well of me outside of The Realejos. Thank you for feeling proud, for contributing your grain of sand and for contributing to making this municipality a great town”, he valued before acknowledging that if he could choose, “I would do the same again”, after “delivering perhaps the best years of my life to Los Realejos”.
Manuel Dominguez He stressed that being mayor of his town has been “an honor, the most beautiful thing that politics has given me.” A phrase that made him move to tears. Amid applause from the audience, he tried to pull himself together to continue. Some tears that he defined as the result of “the emotion and also the immense joy of being able to dedicate these words to the realejeros”. He acknowledged that he would have liked to “go door to door to all the neighbors, look them in the eye and thank them. But we are more than 37,000 people in 57 square kilometers and it would not give me time, but I am convinced that everyone would open the doors for me.
«It is not a full stop; is a point and followed. And I’m going to keep fighting, fighting, working and giving everything. I will do it at the regional level, but a large part of my heart will be dedicated to The Realejos. That no one from other municipalities feel offended, but they must understand that the town that has seen me be born politically and that has given me everything, deserves that I reserve a part of my heart for it. I will never know how to return the favor, “said Domínguez.
Regarding the pending issues, he highlighted two: the new PGO and the equestrian center“that commitment to the world of horses that I have not yet been able to fulfill, but the task is marked and the objectives are well defined”, highlighted the realejero president.
Domínguez dedicated most of his speech to talking about the feelings of this historic day: «How can you love a people? I don’t know how it’s done, but I can guarantee you that I feel sorry for Los Realejos. I walk through its streets and I feel proud, I see a mistake and I immediately want to fix it, I see my people outside the realejos and a smile immediately comes to my face». As for his future, he simply promised “put the same passion that I have put for Los Realejos in this new challenge for the Canary Islands. That is the objective and the request that my national president has made of me, Alberto Nunez Feijoo».
about his successor
Regarding his successor in office, Adolfo Gonzalez Perez-Siverio, said that before leaving he wanted to make the decision to recognize that his first deputy mayor is “the best person who could replace me and also contribute his knowledge, work and effort to the people I love the most.” He highlighted that he has accompanied him “from the first moments”, that he has been “that thinking head; the man who has been when loneliness invades you and you have to make decisions; the shoulder I have leaned on so many times, and that person who has known how to pull the handbrake when necessary. That is why I communicated to my government group that Adolfo is the man who must move forward, with the established guidelines and clear objectives, because Adolfo is the best for Los Realejos to continue being what it is».
“Adolfo González is the best for Los Realejos to continue being what it is”
He defined his successor in office as “a man prepared, trained, knowledgeable about the municipality and whom everyone knows perfectly”. After remembering that they have been working side by side since 2011, he addressed him directly and before inviting him to receive a hug from everyone, he reminded him: «You have all my support and all my love and, as a party historian, Manuel Fraga, said, without guardianships or guardianships. He will have no guardianship tutias; advice, all you need; supports, to infinity; but guardianships, none».
Domínguez’s intervention concluded with the acknowledgment that, despite the farewell, he felt “a happy man” to see “a friend triumph, verify that there is relief and know that I leave my municipality in the best hands.” After taking off “his hat to everyone”, the farewell continued with even more tears when Domínguez embraced one by one the members of his government team and his trusted staff. His councilmen and councilwomen bid him farewell visibly emotional.
After this official announcement, the plenary session where the resignation will be reported is scheduled for on June 8. Three days later, on the 11th, the election of the new mayor will take place, Adolfo Gonzalez Perez-Siverioin another plenary session in which there is no doubt about the result of the election: the PP has 15 councilors against five from the PSOE and one from the CC-PNC.
