UPC’s Campos says 29 November puts 70 years of gains at risk

Luis Campos, the Unidad del Pueblo Canario (UPC) candidate for the Congress of Deputies in Las Palmas, believes that the general election on 29 November goes beyond a mere change of government, as a victory that brings the PP and Vox to power would mean «losing all the rights won over the last 70 years».

In an interview with EFE, the lead candidate for the Canarian left-wing coalition, comprising Nueva Canarias, Podemos, Izquierda Unida and Sumar, and also backed by organisations such as Los Verdes, Recortes Cero, local government groups, trade unions and social organisations, outlined the key points of the electoral programme, 90 per cent of which has already been finalised, with a particular focus on intervention in the property market, a shift in the tourism model and a comprehensive review of migration policy.

With regard to unity on the left, which has not been achieved at national level, Campos points out that this is the result of work carried out over more than a year, the ‚generosity‘ shown in setting aside party affiliations, and the mandate given by citizens on the streets in the face of ‚the threat of a democratic regression‘.

UPC: Left-wing alliance focuses on mobilisation and housing reforms

In the face of unfavourable opinion polls, the NC leader points to international examples, such as that of Brazil, to emphasise that «when the left unites, mobilises and goes to the polls with a strong voice in defence of the social majority, the predictions are turned on their head».

On a social level, Campos describes housing as the archipelago’s main problem, as it takes its toll on family finances, mental health and young people’s prospects.

Although he attributes direct responsibility for his administration to Fernando Clavijo’s (CC) regional government, he argues that Parliament can facilitate a constitutional reform to enshrine housing as an enforceable fundamental right, authorise local councils to cap prices and designate areas under pressure, transfer funds to create a permanent stock of social housing, and apply sanctions or compulsory transfer measures to combat speculation by large property owners and financial institutions.

He also stresses the need to restrict the purchase of property by foreigners or non-residents on the islands for investment purposes, and warns that the European Union will only support exceptions if the Canary Islands first exhaust their own powers through moratoriums, the reclassification of land or the introduction of a tourist tax.

Furthermore, he believes it is necessary to curb the growth of this sector and tackle holiday rentals: «In the Canary Islands today, there is simply no room for even one more holiday home on urban residential land or in working-class neighbourhoods,» he states.

Migration policy should combine legal asylum routes with EU relocation

On the issue of immigration, the UPC candidate flatly rejects the PP and Vox’s calls to suspend transfers or send unaccompanied minors back, and accuses them of seeking to turn the islands «into an open-air prison».

In response to this, he is calling for legal asylum channels in the countries of origin, an increase in the state budget for development cooperation to 0.7 per cent, a fair and binding distribution of responsibility within the EU, and immediate contingency plans to prevent overcrowding such as that currently being experienced on El Hierro.

UPC is targeting seats and ruling out alliances with right-wing parties

In electoral terms, Campos sets out the expectations for this coalition as follows: to contest two seats in Las Palmas, to secure representation in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and to win seats in the Senate, drawing on the more than 150,000 votes that its parent parties (NC and Sumar) secured in the previous elections.

Luis Campos gives his assurance that the UPC will «never» facilitate an agreement that would allow the right and the far right to enter the Spanish Government.

At the same time, he criticises Coalición Canaria for forming alliances with Vox in local councils on the islands, such as Teguise, Arona and Granadilla, and for showing a willingness to negotiate: «If it were up to Coalición Canaria, they would open the door to the right and the far right in Spain, just as they have already done in the Canarian institutions,» he emphasises.