The Cultural Heritage department of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura has issued precautionary suspension measures to prevent the demolition of a dwelling located in the Cueva de la Negra area, in Pájara. The Demarcation of Coasts had scheduled the demolition for today, but the Cabildo's intervention aims to avert irreparable damage to heritage.
The decision follows a submission by Cristina Valido, a deputy from Coalición Canaria (CC) in Congress, requesting the Minister of Ecological Transition to explain and halt the action. The property, over 150 years old, is situated near an archaeological site, necessitating a thorough assessment before any irreversible intervention.
The Cabildo has notified the competent administrations and is acting with immediate precautionary measures. The dwelling's construction characteristics, potential age, and historical location within the former settlement of Cueva de la Negra justify the need for documentation before proceeding with irreversible actions.
The property owners submitted a request for measures yesterday, prompting the Cabildo's urgent action due to the absence of prior studies on the planned demolition.
The Canary Islands Cultural Heritage Law empowers cabildos to adopt urgent precautionary measures, such as suspending works, for heritage protection.
Meanwhile, Asambleas Municipales de Fuerteventura (AMF) in Pájara has urged the mayor, Alejandro Jorge, and the governing coalition (PSOE and CC) to utilize municipal instruments to halt the demolition. The party advocates for a precautionary suspension until the submissions by the family of Pascuala Roger Pérez are resolved and the historical and ethnographic values of the property are assessed, as it is considered the last standing structure from the former fishing settlement of Cueva de la Negra.
AMF spokesperson Pedro Armas criticized the governing group's perceived ineffectiveness in not disclosing the activated municipal measures. AMF calls on the City Council to formally request a suspension from the Demarcation of Coasts, activate the precautionary legal route, and submit an urgent technical report to the Cabildo for evaluation and potential protection or cataloging of the property.
