The plenary session in Antigua was marked by a clash of arguments between the outgoing mayor, Matías Peña, and the new mayor, Juan Cabrera, along with the political groups that supported or rejected the change in government. During the session, internal matters previously undisclosed came to light, including details of the governing pact between the parties AlxAn and Asambleas Municipales de Fuerteventura (AMF), and a significant debt in the Festejos (Festivals) department due to irregularities in contracting by a councilor who remains in the new municipal government.
Speeches focused on alleged pact breaches, accusations of "betrayal" preceding the session, staff shortages in the Local Police, and the loss of European funds. Juan Cabrera defended the motion as a direct consequence of the pact's rupture with AlxAn and what he termed Matías Peña's "non-compliant policy".
Cabrera, now the new mayor, justified the rupture of the agreement with Peña and responded to the "betrayal" accusation. He recounted that disagreements began early on, when the initial agreement between AMF and AlxAn, comprising nine councilors, was expanded by Peña to include the PSOE and Coalición Canaria without prior consultation with his initial partners, increasing the governing group to fifteen councilors. "Fifteen out of seventeen councilors on full-time contracts and receiving a salary is outrageous," he stated, estimating an annual cost of 250,000 euros.
The new mayor pinpointed the "persecution" and dismissal of the person in charge of Services, Parks, and Gardens as the breaking point, describing them as a "hardworking and beloved" individual. He also mentioned the withdrawal of Festejos responsibilities from another AMF councilor, Agustín Rodríguez. Cabrera also alluded to a supposed rotation of the mayorship mid-term, suggesting he should have taken office a year ago. To justify the "betrayal," he used an analogy about relationship breakups, asking if he should "continue to be beaten up every day".
For his part, Matías Peña accepted the outcome sportingly, acknowledging the importance of numbers in politics. He asserted that the initial pact was made with Agustín Rodríguez, not Juan Cabrera, and that the signed document was solely with AMF. Regarding the dismissal of Agustín Rodríguez from Festejos, Peña revealed pending payments in that department, which were being regularized, although the municipal comptroller was aware of the outstanding invoices. Rodríguez's dismissal in December 2024, initially presented as a mere area change, had deeper reasons, as revealed in the plenary.
Peña also responded to Cabrera regarding the dismissal of the head of Works, arguing for the need to respect ranks: "A laborer cannot perform the duties of a foreman." The spokesperson for AlxAn, Jonathan Peña, did not use his speaking turn to argue against the no-confidence motion.
The spokesperson for Coalición Canaria, David Alberto Guerra, strongly criticized the motion, attributing it to the municipal government's lack of direction, "blockage, and mismanagement." He pointed to a supposed lack of institutional collaboration that had stalled investments and described the government as "presidentialist," failing to convene group meetings. He compared the situation to the 2011-2015 term, highlighting land cessions for key infrastructure, and lamented subsequent inaction, except for the land cession for the El Castillo "Punto Limpio" (waste collection point) during his brief tenure as Urban Planning councilor.
David Alberto, also a Local Police officer, warned about the reduction in Antigua's police force, with six fewer officers than fifteen years ago and a projected ten fewer due to retirements. He denounced "full uncovered shifts, with entire nights without any active local police officer in the entire municipality." He considered it "a shame" to leave the municipality "worse than I found it" after eleven years. He defended the motion as a way to promote management detached from "propagandistic and showcase politics."
Coalición Canaria also reproached the loss of European funds due to the absence of an Anti-Fraud Plan, contrasting with municipalities like La Oliva (eight million euros) and Puerto del Rosario (five million) that have secured aid. David Alberto stated that Antigua has not accessed these opportunities because it has not approved the aforementioned plan.
The spokesperson for the Partido Popular, Joana Verde, defended the support for the motion as an exercise of responsibility to form a new majority, focused on management and dialogue to face future challenges, stating, "We owe ourselves to them," referring to the citizens of Antigua.
The councilor from Contigo, Giuseppe Signorino, defended the motion as a democratic majority arising from "institutional unease," prioritizing the general interest and "decision-making, serenity, stabilization, and respect." He justified the change in government by arguing that "the people elect the councilors, and they elect the mayor."
The councilor from the PSOE, América Soto, acknowledged the formal legitimacy of the motion but did not share its political substance, stating that "you are censoring yourselves." She highlighted the work done in her areas, such as Social Services, school aid, and education, and thanked the outgoing mayor, Matías Peña, and the technician Gustavo García for their trust and work.
