Fuerteventura must grow at the pace of its residents
Island Model and Territorial Protection
The Majorera Assembly – Canarian Coalition Fuerteventura, speaking at FEAGA 2026, placed the “island model” at the centre of the debate, stressing the need to protect the territory against external pressures and the interests of multinational electricity companies. Regional deputy and island secretary of the party, Mario Cabrera, insisted that the island’s development must be “guided by our own decisions and by sustainable growth.”
“Fuerteventura has to grow at the pace we decide, not at the pace dictated by capital coming from outside,” Cabrera said, emphasizing that land—especially agricultural land—must not become a bargaining chip for interests unrelated to the island’s future.
He warned of the risk of using productive soil for purposes that jeopardise food sovereignty:
“We cannot improvise with agricultural land. That soil is strategic, it is identity, it is the future. It may be fallow today, but tomorrow it could be key to guaranteeing supply and preserving our landscape.”
From the AM‑CC perspective, the energy transition must be based on careful planning and, above all, common sense. Cabrera argued that protecting agricultural areas is essential and that alternatives such as building rooftops or already‑anthropised, non‑recoverable spaces should be used instead.
“We cannot allow speculation over the territory under the banner of ecological transition.”
He also called for an energy transition that:
- Relies on active citizen participation,
- Reduces external energy dependence, and
- Guarantees that the benefits of renewable energies flow directly to consumers.
Cabrera advocated a public‑private collaboration model that prevents large multinational pressures from concentrating control over the land.
Linking soil protection directly to the island’s economic and social model, he warned against uncontrolled growth:
“We do not need to keep occupying territory or growing without limits. We must consolidate what we have, improve quality, and ensure services that match the current population.”
The island secretary highlighted the need to set limits on Fuerteventura’s growth, taking the island’s carrying capacity into account, and to balance development with the quality of life of its residents.
He proposed bold policies such as a residence law and measures to control or limit property purchases by Central European citizens, whose buying activity is driving housing prices to unaffordable levels for locals.
Cabrera stressed that territorial planning must follow a clear, shared model:
“The island model defines our present and our future. Infrastructure, energy, tourism, and land use must align with that model.”
The Assembly recalls that protecting the territory has historically been a cornerstone of Fuerteventura’s development, preventing irreversible impacts and maintaining a balance between economic growth and conservation.
In the context of FEAGA, Cabrera highlighted the primary sector as essential to this strategy:
“The primary sector is not only the economy; it is the landscape, biodiversity, and identity. Defending the countryside is also defending the territory.”
Consequently, the Majorera Assembly – Canarian Coalition reaffirms its commitment to policies that prioritize the common good, sustainability, and soil protection as the foundation for Fuerteventura’s future.
“The sector needs support for modernization and technification, as well as policies that foster generational renewal—not projects that waste its development by taking away its land.”
Opposition to Tuna Net‑Fishing in the Islands
Among other issues, Mario Cabrera criticised how business lobbies jeopardise the productive fabric of the primary sector in the Canary Islands, referring to the industrial project to introduce tuna net‑fishing in the archipelago.
“The artisanal fishing sector opposes this because it has chosen to preserve a traditional, selective, and sustainable model; it is also a strategic decision. We cannot allow foreign interests to impose themselves on a sector that is a hallmark of rootedness and identity.”