The Arona City Council has today unveiled the reorganisation of its organisational structure after the dissolution of the agreement with more by Arona. The new governing coalition will consist of the Popular Party (PP, with five councillors), the Canarian Coalition (CC, also five), and Vox (which has two councillors). It was finally confirmed that the newly formed tripartite will operate as a minority with a total of 12 out of 25 councillors.
During the press conference, Mayor Fatima Lemes (PP), the first deputy mayor Clari Pérez (CC), and the new member of the Government Group and Councillor for Tourism, Culture and Historical Heritage, Naim Yánez (Vox), elaborated on the details of the new coalition agreement.
“A pact to ensure stability”
Lemes explained the rationale behind the new coalition, noting that following the departure of more by Arona and the ideological and personal split with PSOE, discussions commenced with the remaining parties, Vox and Nueva Canarias. Nevertheless, Nueva Canarias decided against joining the coalition and opted out of the arrangement.
“I wished the initial agreement we formed would have been successful. However, it has not been the case. This decision is not based on a personal issue with anyone; it is due to a lack of loyalty,” remarked the mayor. According to Lemes, there were instances within the City Council where “the departed councillors failed to communicate with the mayor’s office,” which led to a “loss of trust and subsequently the breakdown of the alliance.”
The agreement delineates a redistribution of responsibilities, which, as per the mayor, “has been formulated in the most efficient manner possible to ensure the continuity of governance.”
With the new configuration, the roles and responsibilities of the councillors have been allocated as follows:
- Naim Yánez (Vox): Second Deputy Mayor, Tourism, Culture and Historical Heritage.
- Melania Santos (Vox): Economic Promotion, Primary Sector and Employment.
- Javier Bauer (CC): Urban Planning and Territory Management.
- David Pereira (PP): Housing, Human Resources, Heritage and Transport, under the direct supervision of the Mayor’s Office.
- Guacimara Martín (PP): Social Services, Elderly Care and Adesa.
- Guacimara Tabío (PP): Contracting and Finance.
- Héctor Reyes (CC): Works and Infrastructure, Education, Local Police, Mobility, Traffic and Road Safety.
The new Deputy Mayors are: Javier Baute, Héctor Reyes and Naim Yánez.
For Lemes, this new governing team “will ensure the stability of the municipality and continue with the projects initiated in 2023.” She emphasised her commitment to the governance project.
No ideology in administration
One of the most contentious topics during the press conference was Vox’s involvement in the government and the approach towards sensitive issues such as immigration and diversity. “These matters have not been raised at this moment. Our priority is to discern what is beneficial for Arona,” stated Yánez, asserting that his party does not play a minor role in the political landscape of the country: “Vox is the third-largest political force in Spain and the fifth in Arona,” he added.
On the public perception of his party, Yánez was forthright: “I would not classify Vox as far-right, as that would require categorising its voters in that manner, which is not accurate.”
Regarding his political history, the new Vox councillor acknowledged having once been part of the socialist youth, although his tenure was brief. “It was a few months of chaos,” he commented. “Such experiences compel a reevaluation of your political beliefs.”
Concerning the management of the previous governing group, the mayor surprised attendees by stating that “she has encountered unexpected situations” in the areas previously managed by more by Arona. However, she refrained from providing further details: “I will not make any statements.”
