The sense of insecurity conveyed by residents, tourists, and business owners, along with other factors such as lack of lighting, cleanliness, infrastructure, and the need for increased police presence, were the focus of the discussion. The president of Asofuer, Antonio Hormiga, described the situation as a "perfect storm" due to the confluence of various shortcomings.
“"It flows that the infrastructure is scarce, it flows that there is no cleanliness, it flows that there is a lack of lights, a lot of circumstances flow, and it flows that there is a lack of security. All of that together, we understand, is a cocktail and the perfect storm."
Hormiga also emphasized the importance of not causing alarm on social media and called for more Local Police and Civil Guard officers. Meanwhile, the president of AECA, Eduard Van der Veen, agreed with the public's concern and positively assessed the meeting, stating that "the most important thing is that we have talked, and that is already a lot."
Regarding the municipal proposal to relocate nightlife, Van der Veen urged prudence and respect for licensed establishments, suggesting that only those who violate regulations should be analyzed. The insular director of the State Administration, María Jesús de la Cruz, explained that these meetings are part of a series held in various municipalities and regretted the absence of the Government of the Canary Islands and the Regional Police, although she excused the absence of the mayor of Antigua, Matías Peña, who was represented by the head of the Local Police.
De la Cruz indicated that general indicators show an improvement in crimes such as theft, although she did not provide specific figures for the municipality of Antigua. She pointed out the need to address "specific hotspots" that create a negative image, acknowledging that the Ministry of the Interior only publishes data for populations over 20,000 inhabitants.
It was assured that the Civil Guard will reinforce its presence "within our capabilities" and efforts will be made to bring services closer for online reporting, similar to what occurs in Corralejo, Gran Tarajal, or Morro Jable. However, establishing a reporting point or a future Civil Guard post in Caleta de Fuste will require land cession and financial allocations, stating it "is not something that can be achieved in the short term."
The potential motion of no confidence in Antigua was discussed, and De la Cruz expressed confidence that, regardless of the governing majority, dialogue would be maintained and land cession would proceed. She concluded that Caleta's security depends on a combination of infrastructure and services, not solely on a future barracks.
