The senator appointed by the Parliament of the Canary Islands Pedro San Ginés (Canarian Coalition) has lashed out this Monday against the president of the Popular Party of Lanzarote, Ástrid Pérez, after learning that the Supreme Court has reopened the case against him for false accusation and false testimony. In that order, the High Court recognized that its dismissal was "hasty", as La Voz exclusively reported.
San Ginés, holding the position of president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and president of the Local Public Business Entity of the Centers for Art, Culture and Tourism, went "voluntarily" to the Costa Teguise Civil Guard station at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, to report Carlos Espino, Antonio González and José Manuel Páez for the contracts between the Tourist Centers and González's company, Climafrical. During the complaint, he relied on a legal report from the Canarian Coalition and not from any of the public institutions he represented. Later, the Centers filed a lawsuit for the same reason.
In a press release issued on Monday morning, the non-elected senator has accused Ástrid Pérez of being the one who actually reported, through the Board of Directors of the Tourist Centers (CACT), alleged irregularities in the contracting of the company Climafrical, owned by the Lanzarote businessman, now deceased, Antonio González, during the socialist management.
The case opened for this complaint was finally dismissed after a decade, but the businessman died in April 2020 waiting for its final dismissal. The family of Antonio González has appealed to the courts to defend the memory of their father because "he cannot defend himself", as his daughter stated three years ago in an interview with this media outlet.
"For the first time, that I remember, it is admitted in a clear and distinct way that I was not the one who filed the complaint, that I was not the complainant, but Ástrid Pérez", the former Lanzarote president highlighted in a statement, who assures that the current popular president "executed a collegiate agreement of the Board of Directors of the CACT".
In this sense, the senator has defended that "in no way" can he be "even judged for having filed a false complaint" because he says he did not file it. However, the Criminal Chamber defended in its resolution that the indications against the senator of the Canarian Coalition "are far from being labeled as extravagant or arbitrary" and points to "partisan interests" in his complaint against Antonio González.
"He could only be judged for false testimony", he insisted. Although in the order in response to the appeal, the Supreme Court states that San Ginés filed a complaint with the Civil Guard about these events, the senator insists that he "testified as a witness" before the UCO within the framework of Operation Unión and then "after the complaint of the CACT".
San Ginés has highlighted that he will call Ástrid Pérez as the "first witness" if the trial is held. In addition, he has highlighted that "the difference" is that he assures that he did not specify amounts or provide certificates, but accuses Pérez of presenting documentation. "It was the highest economic and financial authority of the CACT and not me who declared expressly in court and in relation to these companies", he continued.
In contrast, the Court does appreciate "elements that lead to support" that the former president did report Antonio González, since when he went "voluntarily" to the Civil Guard headquarters in the middle of the night to report "alleged irregularities", he pointed to the company Climafrical, managed by the conejero businessman and highlighted the "political affiliation" of Antonio González.
The senator has concluded by pointing out that "what is truly grotesque" is that "the only one who is accused and sitting in the dock for false accusation and false testimony is me" and not "who supposedly committed the reported crimes".
