The plenary session of the Cabildo of Lanzarote rejected the proposal from the People’s Party this Thursday to reinterpret the monument of the Cross located in the Plaza de Las Palmas in Arrecife. The initiative aimed to provide the monument with a new interpretative framework that would enhance its value from cultural, social, and heritage perspectives, as well as initiate the process for it to be declared a Cultural Asset of Interest (BIC).
The voting illustrated the political divide on the issue. The PP was supported by VOX and councillor Armando Santana, but failed to secure the necessary majority: Coalición Canaria and Nueva Canarias chose to abstain, while the PSOE voted against. Consequently, the motion presented in July and re-endorsed by the PP in September was ultimately dismissed.
The proposal included the possibility for the Cabildo to request the classification of the cross as a Cultural Asset of Interest. According to a legal report from the island institution, this option would be feasible, although to date, no official request has been made. Declaring it as a BIC would entail greater protection and conservation of the monument within the historical legacy of Arrecife.
The Vice-President of the Cabildo and PP councillor, María Jesús Tovar, argued that recognising the cross should be seen as “a way to preserve collective memory” and ensure that this symbol is understood not only in its religious aspect but as part of the shared history of the city.
In her speech, Tovar emphasised that the measure sought to “provide legal and heritage security to an element that is part of the living history of Arrecife” and that its protection would help enrich the island’s historical-artistic heritage.
The People’s Party insists that the monument has deep roots in the lives of several generations of residents in the capital, and thus its reinterpretation would represent a step towards reinforcing local cultural identity. “Lanzarote cannot afford to lose pieces that identify us as a people,” Tovar stated during the plenary session.
