The Socialist Party of Lanzarote has called on Coalición Canaria to publicly “reprimand” the mayor of Tinajo, Jesús Machín, for his unacceptable confession during the last municipal plenary session, in which he admitted that the Town Hall has paid for hotel nights to prevent alleged perpetrators in cases of gender-based violence from being detained.
Immediate Response Required
According to PSOE, the seriousness of the incident demands an immediate response from Coalición Canaria. “This is not just a slip of the tongue or an unfortunate statement. We have a public confession of institutional complicity with the aggressor. If Coalición Canaria fails to act, it becomes a political accomplice to a barbarity unworthy of any democratic society,” warned the PSOE through its insular secretary for Equality, Paula Corujo.
Protection of the Perpetrator
The Socialist Party emphasises that the mayor himself acknowledged these were cases of gender-based violence. Despite this, he opted for a solution that protects the aggressor rather than activating the institutional protocol established for such cases.
“It is not the role of any mayor to decide whether or not to detain a suspected abuser. That is the responsibility of the security forces, the action protocols, and the judiciary. Bypassing this entire institutional framework to improvise a solution involving a four-star hotel is not only reckless; it is an assault on the most basic principles of equality, justice, and victim protection,” condemned Corujo.
Clarification of Expenditures
Furthermore, the Socialist Group in the Tinajo Town Council will demand clarity regarding what these expenses pertained to specifically. “We want to know which nights, at which hotels, under which budgetary item, and with what justification. Not only was there an action outside the protocols, but it was also done with public funds,” she added.
A Normalised Practice
The socialists consider it “especially grave” that this action has become a normalised practice, as acknowledged by the mayor himself, and that it has been funded with public resources, sending a devastating message to victims: that the one who sleeps soundly is the aggressor.
“We demand that Coalición Canaria does not turn a blind eye and speaks out clearly. Tepid responses, silence, or ambivalence on this matter only serve to reinforce the message of impunity for aggressors,” emphasised Corujo.
She concluded by reminding that the fight against male violence requires courageous, responsible institutions that are truly committed to defending women’s rights. “There is no room for nuance, no excuses, and certainly, it cannot be tolerated that this is the response of a public institution to such a serious crime. Those who act in this way must assume political responsibilities immediately.”
