Threats and Attacks Targeting Councilor Jessica de León
Jessica de León, the Canary Islands Government’s Councilor for Tourism and Employment, has been the target of threats and attacks on her home and vehicle following the approval of the Sustainable Tourism Use Law – commonly known as the Vacation‑Rental Law – by the regional Parliament on 12 November.
Political Reactions
The issue was raised on Wednesday by Manuel Domínguez, Vice President of the Canary Islands and Councilor for Economy, during an interview with Radio Sintonía Fuerteventura (reported by Europa Press). He said the matter is “something the councilor does not like to be known,” but insisted it must be reported.
“I know she does not like me to say this, but I have to denounce it. We have reported it where it should be reported, logically, and the police have been monitoring the whole situation because it has not been an isolated case,” Domínguez explained.
Domínguez added that the threats even included wishes of death directed at both Jessica de León and the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo.
“And this is what we have received … but why? Because selfishness, personalism and ‘what’s mine’ have prevailed in situations like this,” he said.
The president of the People’s Party (PP) in the Canary Islands, a close ally of de León, also stressed the need to denounce the attacks publicly, stating that “it is unacceptable.” He argued that while politicians can make mistakes, the regional government’s sole aim is to help citizens and reorganize tourism, the archipelago’s primary source of income.
Passage of the Law
The vacation‑rental law was approved on 12 November despite opposition from PSOE, NC‑BC and Vox, who also blocked a debate on 24 “in‑voice” amendments proposed by the four‑party coalition.
Councilor de León admitted that the legislation was “difficult to internalize, difficult to explain, and difficult to manage” during its drafting. She praised the support of CC, PP, ASG and AHI for acting “in the general interest and not becoming hostages to political tactics.”
Key Provisions
Ownership structure: 44.6 % of vacation homes in the Canary Islands are owned by private individuals, while 55.3 % of the homes and 55.5 % of the rental slots are managed by entities or foreign owners, not by small local proprietors.
New developments: No new vacation‑rental units may be created for five years until each municipality adopts an explicit municipal plan. Municipalities will decide how, where, when and how many vacation rentals are permitted, with the requirement that these decisions do not degrade residents’ quality of life.
Use ratios: 90 % of housing stock must be dedicated to residential use; only 10 % may be allocated to vacation rentals. Municipalities have six months to launch the corresponding inspection program.
Official Protection Housing (VPO): These units are barred from tourist use.
Pseudohotels: The law prohibits “pseudohotels,” i.e., buildings where every unit is a vacation rental owned by a single large holder.
Construction timeline: New buildings cannot be used for tourism until ten years after construction.
These measures aim to curb the rapid expansion of short‑term rentals, protect local housing availability, and ensure that tourism development aligns with the interests of Canary Islands residents.