Clavijo decr

“There was a clear intention to sideline the Canary Islands from decision‑making in this operation, an ‘unfair’ decision contrary to what the regional government did in fulfilling its duty: defending the Canary Islands.”

The president of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, expressed on Thursday that the confidence placed in the central executive has been “broken” following the handling of the crisis involving the Mv Hondius, a vessel affected by a hantavirus outbreak in Canary waters.

During a site visit to the Plaza Francisca de Gazmira works, nearby parking facilities, and the Hotel Escuela Monterrey in the municipality of El Paso, Clavijo declined to comment on whether his party, the Canarian Coalition, intends to withdraw its support from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s administration amid recent disagreements.

“That decision must be taken by the party. The colleagues will speak in due course.”

Nevertheless, as the head of the Canary Islands Executive, he confirmed that a “break” in trust toward the central government has indeed occurred as a result of this crisis.

When asked whether he believed Spanish tourists evacuated from the cruise ship would want to return to the islands after the incident, Clavijo replied that the decision would be theirs to make. He added that, had he been one of the passengers, he “would have liked to be evacuated as soon as possible, rather than spending five days on a vessel with confirmed or potentially infected cases.”

Regarding the impact of the Mv Hondius handling on the islands’ reputation, Clavijo noted that the Canary Islands, even without being consulted, “did what they always do: show solidarity and lend a hand.”

“The Canary Islands have demonstrated and continue to demonstrate solidarity and commitment, but they also demand certainty, guarantees, and, above all, loyalty—something that has been lacking.”

He emphasized that no one questions the islands’ solidarity, yet “after a few days, it becomes clear that information was hidden from them and that loyalty to the Canary Islands’ government was not upheld.”

In his view, the central authorities deliberately excluded the Canary Islands from decision‑making in this operation, an “unfair” move that contradicted the regional government’s duty to defend the Canary Islands.