The Lanzarote Cabildo addressed the controversy on Monday regarding the accidental distribution of castor beans, a toxic plant, from the Experimental Agricultural Farm. The island institution stressed that there is “no risk to public health” and that technical staff acted “immediately” to locate all recipients of the batches and arrange for their replacement.
The Cabildo President, Oswaldo Betancort, defended the actions taken, stating that the response from the technicians was “exemplary, quick, and effective.” He explained that each farmer who received the seeds was contacted personally to inform them of the situation and request their return. The traceability of the process was, he emphasised, guaranteed at all times.
The island corporation insists that the incident was resolved transparently, with the primary aim of protecting farmers and the public.
Criticism from the PSOE
On the opposing side, the Socialist Group in the Cabildo has described the incident as “a matter of enormous negligence.” Councillor Benjamín Perdomo warned that the distribution of castor beans poses an extreme risk, as the ingestion of just a few can lead to vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, multi-organ failure, and even death within a timeframe of 36 to 72 hours.
The PSOE considers it unacceptable that the Cabildo did not publicly inform about the incident through an official statement from the outset. According to Perdomo, sending text messages to farmers to request the return of the seeds demonstrates that the institution was aware of the seriousness of the matter.
It should be noted that the Farm has a comprehensive WhatsApp group with the contacts of multiple farmers and livestock owners who regularly visit the Island Agricultural Service.
The socialists are also pointing to political responsibilities. They have directly named Gladys Acuña, agricultural advisor to the president and responsible for the Experimental Agricultural Farm, demanding her immediate resignation. “President Oswaldo Betancort cannot continue to look the other way. If he does not dismiss his advisor, he will be assuming this error as his own,” stated Perdomo.
