Coalición Canaria Demands Closure of Pájara Shooting Range in Congress

Deputy Cristina Valido calls for the definitive end of a military facility considered an obstacle to Fuerteventura's development.

Generic image of the arid landscape of the Pájara Maneuver and Shooting Range in Fuerteventura.
IA

Generic image of the arid landscape of the Pájara Maneuver and Shooting Range in Fuerteventura.

Coalición Canaria deputy Cristina Valido has demanded the definitive closure of the Pájara Maneuver and Shooting Range in Congress, arguing that this military installation hinders Fuerteventura's development.

The nationalist representative spoke during the debate on a non-binding proposal regarding the elimination of the Bardenas shooting range in Navarra, expressing her party's support for the initiative and recalling that "Canarias knows well what a shooting range means," in clear reference to the Fuerteventura facility.
Valido explained that, although the origins of the Pájara range date back to the Franco era, there are "notable differences" compared to the Navarra case. She pointed out that in Fuerteventura, there was no economic return for the affected population, but rather "abuse and usurpation" through "forced expropriation" that caused the displacement of inhabitants and prevents fishermen and farmers from accessing the area.
The deputy highlighted that the range occupies over 4,000 hectares, double that of the Bardenas polygon, despite Fuerteventura being ten times smaller than Navarra. Furthermore, she stressed that Pájara hosts aerial firing practices, ground maneuvers with armored vehicles, sea-to-land firing exercises, and explosives testing, with "significant impacts on the natural environment."
"This range blocks the island's development, limits its citizens' rights, and mortgages its future," stated Valido, recalling that the facility is located in the heart of the Fuerteventura Biosphere Reserve, declared by UNESCO in 2009. "What seems like a blunder is a reality we continue to suffer," she added.
The representative for Coalición Canaria recalled that the rejection of this maneuver range has been a constant demand from the Fuerteventura society and her party for decades, with over 50 institutional agreements calling for its disappearance. She announced that the party will soon bring a related initiative to Congress.