Unidos por Lanzarote (UPL) has formally requested from the Cabildo de Lanzarote access to documentation related to expenses for meals, restaurants, travel, per diems, and other representation expenses that have been paid by the Centers for Art, Culture, and Tourism (CACT) and linked to the CEO of the entity, Ángel Vázquez, during the current legislative term.
The party registered a request for information last Monday, September 21, addressed to the president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort, in his capacity as president of the institution to which the Public Corporate Local Entity Centers for Art, Culture, and Tourism belongs.
"We are not making accusations based on rumors. Precisely for this reason, we have resorted to the official channel: we want to see the documentation and let the invoices, statements, and receipts speak for themselves," states the spokesperson for Unidos por Lanzarote, Laureano Álvarez.
Cards, invoices, receipts, and justification of expenses
Specifically, Unidos por Lanzarote has requested copies of the statements corresponding to corporate credit or debit cards, or those owned by the CACT, that have been used by Ángel Vázquez or made available to him to incur expenses charged to the entity's funds.
The request also includes invoices, receipts, simplified invoices, payment receipts, and other accounting documentation related to meals, dinners, lunches, receptions, meetings, and any other catering expenses paid for with funds from the Centers.
In addition, the party requests to know, when it appears in the documentation, the institutional purpose that justified each expense, the meeting or activity to which it corresponded, and the body or person responsible for its authorization or validation.
Unidos por Lanzarote considers it particularly relevant to know the consumption made in restaurants and establishments dependent on the CACT itself, including the MIAC-Castillo de San José, as well as to determine which had an institutional character and what their corresponding justification was.
The request also extends to expenses for travel, per diems, accommodation, catering, and maintenance related to trips made during the current legislative term and that have been paid for, in whole or in part, by the Centers.
"We want to know what has been paid, how much, why, and who authorized it"
For Laureano Álvarez, the issue is simple: "When we talk about public money, citizens have the right to know what has been paid, how much has been paid, why it has been paid, and who authorized that expense. If everything is correctly justified, the documentation will allow it to be verified. And if there is any irregularity, that should also be known."
The party recalls that the CACT are a public business entity wholly dependent on the Cabildo of Lanzarote and understands that documentation relating to the use of public funds must be subject to legal transparency obligations, without prejudice to any limitations or data protection that legally apply.
"O Carballiño, the starting point"
This initiative comes after the controversy generated by the participation of the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism in the Festa do Pulpo in O Carballiño, the hometown of Ángel Vázquez.
Following that controversy, Vázquez himself stated publicly that his trip to Galicia had been personal and that it had not been paid for with public funds, although the CACT did participate in the initiative.
Unidos por Lanzarote believes that the best way to clear up any doubts is precisely by publishing and verifying the economic documentation.
Álvarez assures that, after making that complaint public, the party began to receive information from various sources about other possible expenses and practices in the management of the Centers which, if confirmed by documentation, would deserve a public explanation.
"We have received information through various channels that suggest that O Carballiño may not be an isolated case. But Unidos por Lanzarote will not turn information or comments into accusations. We will do the exact opposite: request the documents, verify them, and act based on what they actually prove," states Álvarez.
"We don't want verbal explanations: we want documents"
The party insists that it does not intend to make a premature judgment, but rather to carry out an oversight role on the use of public resources.
"We don't want verbal explanations. We want documents. We want invoices, receipts, statements, justifications, and authorizations. Transparency does not consist of asking citizens to trust; it consists of allowing them to verify," maintains Laureano Álvarez.
Unidos por Lanzarote announces that it will analyze in detail the documentation provided to it and, in case of detecting expenses lacking sufficient institutional justification or any other circumstance that may require clarification, will request the corresponding explanations and actions.
"We will go as far as the documents take us. If everything is correctly justified, it will be stated with the same clarity. But if we find expenses of public money that do not respond to the general interest, we will demand responsibilities and use all the legal and institutional channels that correspond," concludes Álvarez.
"With public money. transparency down to the last euro"
Unidos por Lanzarote considers that the management of a public entity of the economic and strategic importance of the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism must be subjected to the highest level of transparency and oversight.
"The CACT belong to Lanzarote and their resources are public resources. That is why our position is very clear: transparency down to the last euro."
Add La Voz de Lanzarote as a preferred Google source.
Stay informed with the latest current news.