Those who know me know that I am not a man to mince words when I talk about politics. In the elections of December last year, I already said that I was not happy with the results and that I thought it was ridiculous that all the parties said they had won. In these months I have not changed. Despite the pride it gives me that Coalición Canaria has gone all out, as always, the objectives have not been met, and it will not be because my colleagues Samuel Martín and Marci Acuña have not given everything that could be asked of them and more. The two, like the organization in Lanzarote, have shown that we have an unbreakable spirit and morale. And that is where we must continue, without anyone from outside coming to set the pace or try to divide us.
The presence this Tuesday in Madrid of José Miguel Barragán and Fernando Clavijo, which has filled some of us with pride, is a good example of what a stronger nationalist party can be. If with a single deputy we are going to be able to contribute to the stability of a country, making sure that those in charge in the capital comply with the Canary Islands, imagine what we could do with a stronger group.
I already demanded a reflection in the party at the time, and now I want to take the opportunity to do it again.
But I am not going to stick with the usual, with the excuse that in general elections people in the Islands vote black or white without realizing that there is another immense range of colors to bet on. Even if it is true, it is the easy way out, and in politics the easy way does not usually serve much.
My intention and that of many colleagues from now on must be that Coalición Canaria ceases to be the secondary actor that it has become within state politics. We want and must be protagonists, and that means not being satisfied with getting one or two deputies and launching the bells on the fly. For this, there is no other option than to start from something as basic as "unity is strength". There lies the key to the present and the future, because that is precisely what we have lacked, the union of all nationalism, of all those who feel nationalist.
And let it be noted that I am not saying this for Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, where we have stood out for being two cohesive groups, where we have obtained a fantastic result in the local elections, where we were also pioneers in defending the unity of the coalition and in turning it into a single party. I say it above all for those islands in which we have allowed ourselves to be overwhelmed and we have allowed them to take away land that must be NATIONALIST. And I put it in capital letters because I am convinced that the Canary Islands, its eight inhabited islands, breathe nationalism through all its pores.
I believe that it is time to seek the unity of all those who belong to Coalición Canaria, but also of other people with our same ideals and feelings for this land who for whatever reason have not chosen to be part of our ranks, or who have been with us and have abandoned them. We are all valid when we want the interest of the Canary Islands and not our own.
When we achieve this, we will be stronger than anyone, because no one is going to worry about defending this Archipelago better and with more impetus than us, and because the results will give us wings to be strong in Madrid, with a powerful and uncomplex group that knows that it can play hard, without being intimidated, without making concessions to the opponent.
Then, everything will be smooth. We will demonstrate wherever we are, in a town hall, in the autonomous Government, in the Congress of Deputies or in the Senate, that we know what we have to do so that the Canary Islands receive what they deserve, which is a lot.
We have to take the step now, meet, talk, discuss, debate, dialogue, file lawsuits or congratulate each other when necessary. We have to do it today, not tomorrow. We cannot be the cicada that waits until the last moment to obtain results. We have to be the ant that does not stop working for the winter, and then we will be what we deserve.
I firmly believe in this project, I am going to defend it with enthusiasm from La Graciosa to El Hierro, together with all those who continue to maintain the illusion. I believe in the unity of all good nationalists, and I am convinced that leaving personalism aside and personal ambitions there will be no one to stop us. With unity we will regain the trust of many people who now distrust, we will return to win the street, and we will return to generate the illusion that now, for obvious reasons, has been lost.
It is not time to lick wounds, we must be clear about where we have failed, put on our work clothes again and look for everything that puts us back in our place.
Coalición Canaria is a brand of the present, and it will be above all a brand of the future.
*Oswaldo Betancort García, Mayor of Teguise
