Cristina Valido, the lead candidate for Coalición Canaria-Primero Canarias in the parliamentary election for Santa Cruz de Tenerife, has emphasised that in the general election on 29 November, the people of the Canary Islands will choose between MPs and senators who are «loyal to the Canary Islands or to their bosses» in Madrid, «between freedom and subjugation».
Valido issued this warning during the presentation of this nationalist coalition’s election manifesto at an event held at the Tegueste bullring, accompanied by the lead candidate for the province of Las Palmas, Teodoro Sosa, and the other members of the CC-Primero Canarias list standing for election to the Regional Parliament.
Valido and Sosa have emphasised that they are standing for election with «a programme drawn up in the Canary Islands, for the Canary Islands and focusing on Canary Islands issues», unlike that of other parties, in which these issues will feature «at best in an appendix or a footnote».
Canary Islands: Nationalists call for a strong voice in Madrid
Both have also highlighted the enthusiasm they sense amongst the public for this «union of nationalist forces», which they hope will result in the province of Las Palmas also being represented in Parliament.
Sosa and Valido have also warned of «the temptation» felt by some political forces to curtail the rights of the people of the Canary Islands.
«Let no one think that what we have achieved is set in stone,» emphasised Cristina Valido, which is why, she said, the Canary Islands need to have «a strong voice» in Madrid.
Teodoro Sosa criticises the silence of Canary Islands MPs
She has proclaimed that CC-Primero Canarias has «the best team» and has insisted that on 29 November the people of the Canary Islands will decide how many of their fifteen representatives in Parliament «will have the freedom and Canarian loyalty to devote themselves exclusively to this land» and how many «will be sitting there loyal to other leaders, subject to voting discipline».
Teodoro Sosa has emphasised that, during the legislative term that has just come to an end, Cristina Valido «has flown the flag» for the Canary Islands all on her own, as the other Canarian representatives have suffered from «the silent MP syndrome», whereby they «fall silent» as soon as they board a plane to Madrid.
Sosa emphasised that Valido tabled more than 400 motions in Parliament, followed by Dolores Corujo (PSOE) with 66 and Jimena Delgado (PP) with 45.
«The figures speak for themselves» and make it clear that some «haven’t even earned their salary, and that’s unacceptable in politics. In the private sector, they’d be out on the street.»
The lead candidate for CC-Primero Canarias in the province of Las Palmas has also warned that they will not roll out «the red carpet for either the blues or the reds», a reference to the PP and the PSOE, because «it is the people who decide our fate».
«Let no one», neither on «the right that leans towards the far right» nor on «the left that leans towards the far left», think that «we will hand over our vote», because «the essential question» we will ask in every vote will be: «What about us?»
Migration and state aid feature in the election manifesto
When asked about the surge in migration and the government’s response, Cristina Valido raised the question of what would happen if this were to occur on the Andalusian or Catalan coasts, and whether the presidents of those autonomous communities «would have to wait a month for Pedro Sánchez to reply».
The nationalist candidate has pointed out that during the last parliamentary term, nationalist groups «with strong representation» achieved things that «seemed impossible», such as «an amnesty, the cancellation of the debt» and the Foreign Secretary «rushing all over Europe» seeking support for the official status of Catalan.
She added that if, following 29 November, the Canary Islands were to secure «the representation they deserve», members of the Spanish Government might well be «rushing» to ensure that the local primary sector receives POSEI aid directly, that standard freight transport costs are updated, or that «all the resources at their disposal» are deployed to tackle the surge in migration.
All of these issues are included in the manifesto with which they are standing in the general election, and they address all the priorities and needs of the Canary Islands, which «cannot be resolved through rowdiness, confrontation or by telling people to vote against someone».
«This can only be resolved by voting for the Canary Islands, on behalf of the Canary Islands. Only through reason, without insults or disparagement, as we in the Canary Islands know how to do, far removed from the noise from the mainland that permeates everything,» asserted Cristina Valido.
Nationalist unity is intended to bolster the Canary Islands' demands
Teodoro Sosa has emphasised the importance of unity amongst nationalists, as ministers in Madrid «rub their hands with glee when they see us divided. This damned island dispute has divided us,» he lamented.
«Because 'whilst we argue over crumbs, regional funding goes elsewhere; until we reach an agreement, powers will not be transferred',» he explained.
With regard to the election manifesto, they have emphasised the need to separate the REF from regional funding, to safeguard transport concessions and to extend personal income tax relief to all the ‚green islands‘.
They are also calling for the Canary Islands‘ status as an outermost region to be taken into account throughout the legislation, as well as for a state housing fund of 105 million and the provision of state-owned land, such as former military sites, for the construction of social housing.
It also highlights one of CC’s campaigns in recent months: restricting the purchase of property by non-resident foreigners.
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