One of the members of Pedro San Ginés' list for the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Airam Fernández, has come out in defense of the illegalities of the Stratvs winery in an open publication on his Facebook page. In addition to stating that "thanks to Stratvs we have more and better quality tourists" (despite being closed since December 2013) and even attributing the success of the wine sector to it, Airam Fernández justifies the various illegalities of this macro-complex and lashes out against the media and even against the people who, from the judicial bodies, have handled the Stratvs case. Fernández even goes so far as to speak of a "journalistic and judicial mafia".
In addition to being number 22 on the CC list for the Cabildo, Airam Fernández was presented at the event held in El Charco de San Ginés as one of the "relevant" and "independent" people who support the current president of the Cabildo. Among the audience attending the presentation of San Ginés' candidacy was Juan Francisco Rosa himself.
Airam Fernández has also carried out work for the Corporation related to the cycle path project, which was already promised by San Ginés in the last election campaign of 2011 and has now announced it again if he is re-elected.
Informing, "immoral in a democracy"
In his heated writing on his Facebook page, Airam Fernández lashes out against the media (and in particular against this one) that have reported on the judicial procedure that is being followed in the Court of First Instance Number 5 of Arrecife, and that is already in the final stretch to go to trial. According to him, "it is immoral in a democracy" for the media to report on the accusation against a businessman or against the politicians and technicians who are also accused in the case (in total there are 17 people accused, in addition to the company that owns the winery).
Airam Fernández also makes a passionate defense of Stratvs, even recognizing its illegalities, although minimizing them. Thus, he reduces the problem to having "more meters" than authorized, when the reality is that Juan Francisco Rosa had a license to build a 900-meter winery warehouse and built more than 12,000. And that he built a restaurant without any kind of permit. And that, according to the investigation, he usurped land that had other legitimate owners, who have appeared in the case as an accusation. All this, added to another long list of crimes, including the emission of polluting discharges, for which the Prosecutor's Office has already formulated its indictment.
"We all have some extra square meter"
"We all have some extra square meter built at home," Airam Fernández states in his writing, insinuating that he may also have committed some type of urban irregularity, and suggesting that all Lanzarote residents do the same. In addition, at the same time that he calls the media that report and the judges and prosecutors who investigate "mafia," San Ginés' list partner also calls the citizens who condemn these illegal practices "hypocrites." "More support for our own," Fernández demands.
In his passionate defense of Stratvs, Airam Fernández goes so far as to state that César Manrique "would be proud of Stratvs," which according to him is "the most conejera and most Manrique and most integrated work that has been built in Lanzarote for 20 years." "Now it turns out that it is the only winery that has more meters? That dumps into a pit? That has a bar? That has moved and restored 5 zocos? Please!" he exclaims, showing his apparent indignation that Justice is pursuing crimes.
In addition, he concludes that tourism and the wine sector should thank Stratvs for its success, despite only having been operating since 2008, and also being closed by court order since December 2013, with the best figures in tourist arrivals having been recorded since that date. However, according to Fernández, "thanks to Stratvs we have more and better quality tourists" and "the wine sector perked up" and "is now an engine on the island." This is how San Ginés' list partner refers to a sector that made La Geria what it is long before Stratvs was even a project.