Over 50 groups express concern to the Government of Canarias regarding the creation of a "Canarian Defense Industry Cluster" in Tenerife.
By Idaira Santana Dorta
••3 min read
IA
Generic image of a document being handed over in an official setting.
More than 50 organizations have submitted a letter to the Government of Canarias to express deep concern over the initiative to create a "Canarian Defense Industry Cluster" in Tenerife.
Representatives of the signatory groups of the Manifesto for a Neutral Canarias formally delivered the document this Thursday, addressed to the Presidency of the Government of Canarias. The action is protected by the constitutional right to petition, seeking to highlight their rejection of what they consider an advancement in the militarization of the archipelago.
The officially registered letter details the concern about the proposed cluster, which is being promoted in Tenerife with the participation of entities such as the CEOE, the consulting firm PwC, Proexca, and the Cabildo de Tenerife. The organizations view this initiative as an integration of the islands into the international military-industrial complex.
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"There is a project and a plan to install here, taking advantage of tax facilities, which is the special Canarian zone for low taxation, a US-Zionist military industrial complex, which will be the enclave for the manufacture, construction, installation and projection abroad of radars, drones, not only aerial, but also submarines, and high-tech electronic warfare."
According to Rivero, the consolidation of this complex with Israeli and US companies would turn Canarias into a target in nearby conflicts, such as those in the African continent or the Persian Gulf. He argues that enclaves with radars or arms industries are the first to be attacked, jeopardizing the archipelago's security.
Canarias cannot be a platform for wars.
The organizations emphasize that this proposal is incompatible with the Statute of Autonomy of Canarias, which defines the archipelago as a space for peace, cooperation, and solidarity. They recall that on March 12, 1986, Canarias voted against NATO, establishing a legacy of neutrality that, in their opinion, must be respected.
Through the document, they request transparent information from the Government of Canarias about the scope of the initiative, the precautionary halt of its development, an evaluation of its compatibility with the statutory framework, and the prioritization of civil and sustainable economic policies aligned with a culture of peace.
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"Canarias cannot finance illegal war, nor the genocide in Gaza, nor the genocide in Lebanon, nor the illegal war in Iran, and the fact that Israeli companies are given facilities here, nor should the government of Canarias, much less, shelter those who are today massacring the Palestinian people, the Lebanese people, the people of Iran and all the peoples who fight for emancipation."
The entities have announced that they will continue with informative and social mobilization actions to foster a broad public debate on the desired development model for Canarias.
