The Area Electoral Board has agreed to initiate a sanctioning file against the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, and against the president of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, for the speeches they gave at the event organized by the institution in Jameos del Agua on the occasion of the centenary of César Manrique. In addition, the file is also directed against his political party, Coalición Canaria, and against the Cabildo as organizer of the event, considering that the electoral regulations were infringed.
In its resolution, the Board recalls that on April 11 it already warned the Cabildo that the centenary events should be held "without any public intervention by people who are participants in electoral events as candidates or who intervene or will intervene" in the campaign. Thus, as La Voz reported then, it partially upheld a complaint that Nueva Canarias had raised and although it did not suspend the planned events, it made it clear that neither San Ginés nor any public official who was participating in the elections could intervene in them and that they could only attend "as private citizens".
Otherwise, the Board already warned that they could "incur in responsibilities according to the electoral regulations", which is precisely what it is going to decide now with this file. And despite that warning, on April 24 both San Ginés and Clavijo gave extensive speeches in Jameos del Agua, in an act that was also broadcast live by Televisión Canaria.
Decision adopted unanimously
After having knowledge of these interventions "by information appeared in different media", the Area Electoral Board addressed the matter on April 28 and initiated a file, which has now concluded with the opening of a sanctioning file in which it indicates as "possible responsible" to the Cabildo, to Coalición Canaria, to San Ginés and to Clavijo.
The proposal to open a file was approved unanimously last Tuesday, together with the agreement to communicate the decision to those affected, who face fines of up to 600 euros. Now, they can present allegations or "voluntarily recognize their responsibility", which according to the resolution would allow them to apply a 20% reduction in the sanction.
