CC maneuvers in Lanzarote asking for documents that could give him the presidency of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura

It has requested two reports and a ruling from more than 15 years ago, when Inés Rojas automatically became president when Francisco Cabrera resigned. That criteria would make the announced appointment of Sergio Lloret impossible

March 3 2021 (16:47 WET)
Updated in March 3 2021 (18:22 WET)
Alliance of CC, PP, and AMF for the Cabildo of Fuerteventura. Photo: La Provincia
Alliance of CC, PP, and AMF for the Cabildo of Fuerteventura. Photo: La Provincia

The Canary Coalition group in the Cabildo of Lanzarote has requested three documents from more than 15 years ago from the island institution, which could serve its party to claim the Presidency of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura. 

After the resignation of the socialist Blas Acosta, the councilors of CC, PP and Municipal Assemblies of Fuerteventura (AMF) announced a new government pact leaving the Presidency in the hands of Sergio Lloret (AMF). However, the precedent that CC seeks in Lanzarote would be incompatible with that agreement.

Those events date back to 2005, when the resignation of the then president of the Lanzarote institution, Francisco Cabrera (PP), also occurred, who had run out of support as soon as he came to office through a motion of censure. At that time, the Socialist Party and the PIL reached a government agreement, whereby the Presidency would fall to the head of the PSOE list, Manuel Fajardo; but that agreement could not materialize.

After consulting the Central Electoral Board, the secretary of the Cabildo issued a report concluding that unless there is a motion of censure or a question of confidence, the presidency of the Cabildos is not elected, but is automatically proclaimed, falling on the person who heads the most voted list.

In Lanzarote, that meant that the PIL candidate, Inés Rojas, ended up becoming president. The PSOE then appealed that proclamation, but the courts rejected its claims, with a first instance ruling that was later not appealed again.

Now, Pedro San Ginés has submitted a letter to the Cabildo requesting, on behalf of CC, both that ruling and the reports issued at the time by the secretary and by the Central Electoral Board.

It so happens that the same Board has now maintained a totally contrary criterion in the case of Fuerteventura, where it has reported that it is up to the Plenary to vote on the election of the new president. That would allow Sergio Lloret to reach the position, whose party has only two councilors, but would add the support of CC and PP, by virtue of the agreement they have closed and announced.

However, if CC tries to enforce the criterion that was followed in Lanzarote, the Presidency would fall to the second on the list of the Canary Coalition, David de Vera, nephew of Mario Cabrera. It should be remembered that CC was the most voted list in the last elections in Fuerteventura and began the mandate presiding over the Cabildo with Lola García, but just after she faced a motion of censure supported by PSOE, Podemos and NC-AMF, which is the pact that has now been broken and that has ended with the resignation of Blas Acosta.

Thus, the scenario is identical to the one that was experienced in Lanzarote, since the popular Francisco Cabrera had also come to office through a motion of censure. In that case, the Board maintained that what was appropriate after his resignation was the direct proclamation, and in Fuerteventura it now maintains that a vote must be carried out in the Plenary.

By requesting these documents in the Cabildo of Lanzarote, CC could be trying to make that criterion prevail, which would automatically give it the presidency in Fuerteventura. If so, an uncertain scenario would open up, since the Popular Party was not willing to support a presidency in the hands of the Canary Coalition, and Lloret himself demanded to hold that position to join that new alliance.

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