The president of the Parliament of the Canary Islands and of the Popular Party of Lanzarote, Astrid Pérez, was on the program Buenos días, Lanzarote on Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero this Tuesday to discuss, among other issues, the situation of the party on the island and internal relations.
Regarding rumors of bad internal relations between Astrid Pérez and councilor Jacobo Medina, the president has assured that it is something she "has not perceived" and that "there is no tension." "Leading parties is not easy, and when one tries to please everyone, some consider it a weakness, and therefore, one starts to climb, and there comes a point where there are limits," she pointed out."My party colleagues are my family, and I am not the same in my life as a manager as I am in my family life. At home, for example, I'm not in charge. Emotionally, I am weaker, which is why, emotionally, my party colleagues are like my family, and I love many of them very much on a personal level," she continued.
As he explained, "in my party there's a great vibe, it's a very different thing when decisions are made and there are people who don't accept those decisions because they consider themselves to be above good and evil or because they believe they shouldn't be subject to any authority because they are the supreme authority."
He has also emphasized that he has not always agreed with the decisions made by the PP, but he has had to defend them nonetheless. Thus, he has stressed the importance of discipline. "I have made mistakes and I say it loud and clear for not telling the truth about certain people, in the end I was the one who took the blame. When I took on the presidency, I said that this is a small island and there are things I will not reveal publicly because that would be killing a person, and I will not do it even if I have to take the blame myself.""I grow fond of people, and that causes me problems within the party. There are people who don't like anyone, and **when you don't like anyone, it's very easy to lead a party**. So, you set the limits there, but the problem is when you appreciate people and care about them. What do you do? Well, sometimes you look the other way, other times you try to talk... and when you try to talk, it seems like you're weak," he reflected.
Continuity in the match
Regarding the possibility of continuing to lead the Popular Party, Pérez replied that "I would love to continue, but I don't know because I think I need to reflect on it. **I have been secretary general for 5 years and president for 17 years**. That amounts to almost 22 years leading the party, so sometimes one reflects and also everything has its stages, everything has its moment.""I have always told my colleagues in the Popular Party of Lanzarote that I am very grateful. My colleagues in the party put me in charge, the regional party did not, and my colleagues will remove me when they understand that I should not continue and that another period must begin," she continued.
Furthermore, during the interview, he revealed that he rules out running for mayor of Arrecife. "I am a very disciplined person and loyal to my party, therefore, wherever my party tells me to be, I will be there or I will not be there. But no, if someone wants me to, no, because this is a phase. I also didn't have a good time because I wanted to stay and complete all the projects we had. It is a very complicated city council and I would not like to return," he stated.
In this regard, he praised Mayor Yonathan de León, stating that "he is doing a very good job" and that he hopes "he will be the candidate in the 2027 elections."
Complaint for alleged irregularities in the contracting of various festivals in Arrecife
Regarding the request for documentation from the Arrecife City Council for **alleged irregularities in the contracting** of different festivals such as the Navilan Fair 2023, Carnival 2024, and the April Fair 2024, Pérez has said that "the aim is to collaborate"."I am unaware of the files and what has happened. It might be nothing. There are many investigations that the Prosecutor's Office has opened, and afterward, nothing of what is proposed is proven," she continued. As president of the PP, Astrid Pérez has assured that she is concerned, "but let's see what happens because one should not count their chickens before they hatch, and there is a **presumption of innocence**."