After 26 days of torrential rains that severely affected the city of Arrecife on April 12, "the City Council has not yet activated the necessary mechanisms to effectively manage aid for those affected. The lack of diligence in processing these subsidies, especially after the declaration of "catastrophe zone" by the mayor himself, shows a worrying neglect by Yonathan de León", denounces the socialist spokesperson, Alfredo Mendoza.
"It was not until the afternoon of Tuesday, May 6, when Yonathan signed the decree appointing the municipal technician in charge of processing the aid approved by the Government of Spain on April 14," they indicate. "Barely seven days for the City Council to manage a call that expires next Wednesday, May 14, seriously compromising the access of residents to the economic aid necessary to alleviate the effects of the floods," denounces socialist spokesperson Alfredo Mendoza.
"And it is that the management of Mayor Yonathan de León during the days after the floods has been characterized more by self-promotion on social networks and the waste of money from all Arrecife residents for the festivities, than by effective attention to citizens," comments Mendoza.
"The declaration of a catastrophe zone seems to have been used for propaganda purposes, without being accompanied by concrete measures or direct municipal subsidy lines for those affected after the mayor announced with great fanfare the aid from the Arrecife City Council, you cannot play with the residents like this in the worst moment as Yonathan has done, says Alfredo Mendoza. To this day, many streets of Arrecife are still covered in mud, while the mayor has prioritized the hiring of cleaning services for events such as the April Fair, instead of activating emergency devices to restore normality to the streets of the city," he assures.
In addition, the mayor "has initiated a public confrontation with his government partner, evading responsibilities and blaming other institutions for the lack of investment in water infrastructure, especially in vulnerable areas such as Argana. The Cabildo of Lanzarote has received aid of just over 959,000 euros from the Government of the Canary Islands, a figure that coincides with the cost estimated by the Island Water Council of Lanzarote for works recommended to the Arrecife City Council since July 2024. "Another neglect by Yonathan de León who does not know what he wants for the city when they give him the homework done," says Mendoza.