Lola García: Fuerteventura Council boasts extraordinary financial health, having implemented almost everything possible in 2025

The Cabildo of Fuerteventura closed the 2025 fiscal year with a budget execution rate close to the legal limit and with a “very stable” economic situation, according to the report of the head of the Budget Management Service, Miguel A. Socorro, which was cited by island president Lola García during an interview on the program La Voz de Fuerteventura on Radio Insular.

García read verbatim a paragraph from the technical report accompanying the 2026 budget, emphasizing that it refutes the opposition’s narrative of a supposed weakness in public accounts.

“Our finances are more than sustainable and it is not alarming that the approval of the mentioned document is interpreted as the corporation being in a delicate situation. That is simply not true; on the contrary, the Cabildo enjoys extraordinary financial health.”

The document adds, García explained, that the island institution possesses “not only budgetary savings but also financial savings and, moreover, no external debt, which indicates that it is financially very stable.” She linked this diagnosis directly to the Cabildo’s investment capacity and the level of execution achieved in 2025.

She recalled that the Cabildo’s inclusion in an economic‑financial plan “was due to two important issues.” First, budgetary stability, “because the Canary Islands Government did not transfer the FDCAN funds to us.” Second, the spending rule, “despite the high budget execution.”

“We can’t spend more”

When asked about the 2025 budget execution rate, the president gave concrete figures.

“As of December 22, we had 87 % execution on the initial credits.”

She clarified that the real spending margin is limited by state regulations and that “to respect the spending rule we could only execute €162‑163 million,” adding that “on Monday we had spent €158 million.”

According to García, the corporation “could not spend more without breaching the budget stability law. Therefore, the Cabildo of Fuerteventura has practically executed everything it could in the 2025 budget.”

These numbers, she insisted, contradict the opposition’s criticism throughout the year.

“We have been criticized for doing nothing, yet in 2025 we broke the spending rule because of the high budget execution.”

The technical report also points to a major factor behind the high spending level: “a large share is justified by the more than €30 million allocated to emergency works on the island of Fuerteventura.”

Water, Socio‑Health Infrastructure and Transport

The 2026 budget, recently approved by the Cabildo plenary and amounting to over €183 million, focuses on strategic island infrastructure, including water supply improvements—although the data confirm that the water emergency has been resolved.

On water, García noted: “We have increased capacity from 34,000 m³ to more than 50,000 m³.” She admitted that “some works remain unfinished, such as the southern desalination plant in Matas Blancas, new conduits and pipe replacements, especially in the north where problems persist.”

In the socio‑health sector, she highlighted that “the Gran Tarajal residence is already under construction and becoming a reality.” New care resources are in the pipeline:

• “We are drafting a day‑center project in Costa Calma.”
• “The mental‑health residence will open in 2026.”
• “Future day‑centers are being planned for Betancuria and Antigua.”

Public transport is another budget pillar. García explained that “the annual transport tender will be €6 million, although €4 million is earmarked for administrative phases in 2026.” The contract is expected to be tendered by late January or early February. She reiterated the free‑fare policy, stating that “of the €9 million cost of free transport, the Cabildo contributes €7 million.”

New Buses

On roads, she said “we already have two maintenance contracts awarded,” citing specific actions such as “the Lajares crossing, worth €4 million,” and other interventions in towns like Villaverde to improve school access.

Sports infrastructure also progresses with committed funding.

• “The La Lajita football field will be completed in 2026.”
• “The Antigua Sports City project has been revised, increasing its budget from €6 million to €10 million.”

“The revised project was presented on 19 December; it is now under review, and if everything is OK we can put it out to tender immediately.”

“Let Us Invest in Housing”

Regarding housing, the president argued that the Cabildo has moved from a purely coordinating role to an active one after assuming competencies in 2025. She noted ongoing protected‑housing promotions, such as 77 homes in Corralejo, and highlighted coordinated efforts with municipalities to identify available land and rehabilitation actions.

She called for flexibility in the spending rule to allow the Cabildo’s own savings to be used for public housing, stressing the urgency of an island‑wide housing emergency.

“Let us spend €20‑30‑40 million on housing for Fuerteventura without breaching the spending rule, because the money is ours.”

García emphasized that the corporation does not ask for money from the State, the Canary Islands Government, or Europe—“the money is ours and we need to be able to spend it on housing.”

Fuerteventura Technology Park

The 2026 budget also consolidates the Cabildo’s support for the Fuerteventura Technology Park through funds linked to innovation and co‑financing of projects that draw on European, state and regional resources. This ensures continuity of activities that already position the island as a testing and development hub.

García highlighted that the park has become a reference for the aerospace and innovation sectors, with initiatives involving unmanned aerial vehicles, pseudo‑satellites and emergency‑response technology. She noted that companies are using Fuerteventura as a test site, bringing back qualified local talent and creating jobs.

“We should be proud that Fuerteventura is leading, at a European level, all the work being done at the Technology Park.”

Zurita, North‑South Axis and the CAE

One of the most significant 2026 projects is the Zurita environmental complex, with a €17 million investment from the Canary Islands Government for a composting plant.

“It is an infrastructure we have been demanding since we took office.”

García recalled that the island had to pay almost €150,000 for failing to complete the composting and recycling plant, a sanction imposed by the regional executive, which also promotes the project. She announced that cell 4 of the complex will be received in the coming days and stressed that “Fuerteventura cannot keep burying waste.” The Cabildo is studying “new technologies and formulas that cause less damage to the territory.”

She also reminded readers that the Canary Islands Government has already tendered priority works for the island, such as the Southern CAE and the Airport‑Pozo Negro section of the North‑South Axis.

Collaboration Across Administrations

To conclude, García defended that much of the progress achieved in the two‑and‑a‑half years of her mandate rests on constant coordination among administrations. Joint work with municipalities, the Canary Islands Government and the State has unlocked long‑pending projects and enabled new investments. She highlighted the crucial role of the Cabildo’s technical staff and workers in executing budgets and delivering the island’s main infrastructures.