Ángel Víctor Torres, the Decree and the Canary Islands' Power Play: Beyond Politics, an Analysis of Power and Business

What's unfolding these days in Canarian politics transcends mere parliamentary debate. The tussle between Ángel Víctor Torres and the current president, Fernando Clavijo, over the so-called decree, is not just another anecdote in the islands' turbulent history. It is, for those who can read between the lines, a masterstroke on the chessboard of power that redefines alliances, exposes ambitions, and, most importantly for us, opens a scenario of uncertainty that directly impacts investor confidence.

Having covered dozens of political crises in my career, when I see the Socialist Group in San Sebastián de La Gomera accusing CC of imposing a "unilateral decree" that doesn't reflect the "Canarian Agenda," I know this is more than just a spat. We are witnessing the chronicle of a foretold death: that of stability. And in business, stability is everything. It's not about political sympathies; it's about predictability. A decree born without sufficient consensus is a millstone for any project requiring medium to long-term legal certainty.

The Ex-President's Strategy: Much More Than a 'No'

Ángel Víctor Torres's move is straight out of a political cinema textbook. He hasn't just opposed it; he's extended a hand, or rather, he's invited Clavijo to present his decree in the Congress so he can "check his support." Translation: "Go ahead, make a show of transparency, prove you have the numbers, and then we'll see who's really backing you." It's a brilliant manoeuvre because it forces into the light what many were cooking up in the shadows.

The Socialist, knowing the ground he walks on, understands that shifting alliances in Parliament are a dying art. What he's proposing, at its core, is a public display of the other's weaknesses. And in this game, whoever shows cracks, loses. Not just in politics, but also in the confidence of markets and productive sectors that need to know where they stand.

The Price of Governability: Who Foots the Bill?

This is where my financial analyst side takes over from the political scientist. The Canary Islands aren't a desert island in the middle of the Atlantic; it's an outermost region with a constant flow of European funds, pressing structural needs, and a business fabric that depends on certainty. The "irresponsibility and lack of dialogue" that the PSOE denounces isn't just a slogan. When a regional government digs in its heels on a decree without sufficient backing, what it's doing is mortgaging the future.

Consider the key sectors:

• Tourism: Needs stable frameworks and joint promotion. A political dispute diverts attention from urgent matters.
• Renewable Energies: Require multi-million euro investments over 20 or 30 years. Legislative instability brings them to a screeching halt.
• Primary Sector: Depends on aid and subsidies whose processing gets paralysed in a climate of confrontation.

The cost of this discord isn't paid by politicians in their seats; it's paid by businessmen who dare not invest, by entrepreneurs who see their licenses delayed, and, at the end of the chain, by workers. And make no mistake, this last point is a breeding ground for social unrest that, ultimately, always ends up taking its toll at the ballot box.

Culture and Power: What the Latest Exhibition Catalog Reveals

While political parties get tangled up in decrees and majorities, civil society moves on, detached from these power games. Just this week, in an event away from the political spotlight, the exhibition catalog for a show depicting the evolution of power in the islands over the last century was presented in Santa Cruz. It's quite curious how, in those photographs and documents, you can sense the same tension between island centralism and peripheral demands that Torres and Clavijo are acting out today. It's a mirror reminding us that these power struggles aren't new, but each generation fights them with its own weapons. History, and that exhibition's catalog, teach us that when leadership becomes isolated, the territory ends up suffering.

A Touch of Sanity in a Sea of Noise

While the political sabre-rattling continues, it's revealing that some town councils, like the one in San Sebastián de La Gomera (the image opening this analysis), continue with their day-to-day business. Local politics—the politics of water management, public works, and licences—is often the true thermometer of a territory. But when storms come from above, the councils, regardless of who governs, end up getting splashed. The responsibility of island and municipal leaders is immense in trying to shield their citizens from these high-level battles, though we know it's an almost impossible mission.

Conclusion: The Board Resets

What we have on the table is much more than a disagreement over a legal text. It's confirmation that the government pact in the Canaries is, to say the least, fragile. Ángel Víctor Torres's move has been skilful: he's put Clavijo on the ropes, forcing him to demonstrate his leadership and ability to garner support. If the decree falls in Congress, the damage to the current president will be immense. If it survives, Torres can claim it was a "miracle" propped up by support that doesn't represent the Canarian will.

For those of us watching this with an investor's eye and a long-term perspective, the signal is clear: political risk in the Canary Islands has gone up. And in a globalised world where capital seeks safe havens, instability comes at a high price. The time for backroom deals is over; now it's time to dance in the Congress, and as in any dance, a misstep can be very costly. We'll see who ends up stepping on whose toes.