The Socialist Group in the Cabildo of Lanzarote has reported that the Government of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, presided over by Oswaldo Betancort (CC), knew since November 2025 of the action planned by the Demarcación de Costas de Canarias to completely eliminate the historic access staircase to Playa de Abajo, in El Golfo, and that it "did not undertake any action to prevent its demolition or study possible alternatives".
The socialist spokesperson, Ariagona González, explained that the documentation sent to the Cabildo detailed the actions planned at various points along the coast of Lanzarote, including those related to the ruins of Famara and the staircase located at Playa de Abajo.
The document precisely identified the infrastructure, located between milestones M5 and M6 of the El Golfo boundary approved by Ministerial Order of July 19, 2006, and expressly established its complete elimination due to the deterioration it presented.
Access to the beach from a neighboring ramp
The communication also indicated that access to the beach was considered guaranteed through the adjacent ramp, that the public maritime-terrestrial domain would be restored to its natural state, and that access to the staircase from the viewpoint would be closed.
“Since November 2025, Oswaldo Betancort's government knew perfectly well the scope of the action: they knew which staircase was going to be demolished, where it was located, and that its elimination would be complete. For months, they had sufficient time and information to ask for explanations, propose alternatives, or promote its protection, but they did absolutely nothing,” stated González.
"He cannot present himself as surprised by an action that his government knew about"
The socialist spokesperson considered it especially serious that, after having received this documentation, the island councilor for the Environment, Samuel Martín, went to the area once the demolition had been carried out to "publicly demand greater coordination between administrations and assert the historical and ethnographic value of the staircase".
“The councilor cannot now present himself as surprised by an action that his own government had known about for months. His public indignation cannot serve to hide the lack of diligence, initiative, and responsibility of the Cabildo,” affirmed González.
The PSOE has denounced that, during that entire period, the insular government did not promote any analysis on the possible heritage value of the infrastructure, did not request the modification of the action, nor did it open a dialogue with the Yaiza City Council, the residents, or the fishermen of El Golfo.
For González, what happened demonstrates a way of governing based on late reaction and propaganda: "When they had the information, they remained silent and did not act. Now that the staircase has already disappeared, they are trying to shift responsibility to other administrations and stage a concern that they did not show when there was still time to intervene."
The Socialist Group has demanded that Oswaldo Betancort's government publicly explain what it did since receiving the documentation in November 2025, why it did not promote any measures to study the conservation of the staircase, and why it concealed that it knew of its demolition in advance.
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