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

What's happening these days in Canarian politics goes beyond mere parliamentary debate. The stand-off between Ángel Víctor Torres and the current president, Fernando Clavijo, over the famous decree, is not just another anecdote in the islands' turbulent history. It is, for those who know how to 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.

I've covered dozens of political crises throughout my career, and 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 we're facing more than just a simple spat. We are witnessing the chronicle of a death foretold: 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 a textbook political play. 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 through the transparency exercise, prove you have the numbers, and we'll see who really backs 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 variable geometry in parliament is a dying art. What he's proposing, at its core, is a public exposure of the other side's weaknesses. And in this game, whoever shows cracks, loses. Not just in politics, but also in the confidence of markets and the productive sectors that need to know where they stand.

The Price of Governability: Who Foots the Bill?

This is where my financial analyst hat wins out over 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 community 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.

Let's think about the key sectors:

• Tourism: Needs stable frameworks and joint promotion. A political dispute diverts attention from what's urgent.
• Renewable Energy: Requires multi-million dollar investments over 20 or 30 years. Legislative instability brings them to a screeching halt.
• Primary Sector: Depends on aid and subsidies whose processing grinds to a halt in a climate of confrontation.

The cost of this discord isn't paid by the politicians in their seats; it's paid by business owners who are afraid to invest, by entrepreneurs who see their licenses delayed, and, at the end of the chain, by workers. And make no mistake, because the latter is a breeding ground for social unrest that, in the long run, always ends up taking its toll at the ballot box.

Culture and Power: What the Latest Exhibition Catalog Reveals

While the parties get tangled up in decrees and majorities, civil society continues moving forward, oblivious to these power games. Just this week, at an event away from the political spotlight, the exhibition catalog for a show that precisely portrays the evolution of power on the islands over the last century was presented in Santa Cruz. It's 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 catalogue, 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), keep on with their day-to-day business. Local politics—the politics of water management, public works, and licences—is often the real thermometer of a territory. But when storms come from above, the councils, regardless of who's in power, end up getting splashed. The responsibility of island and municipal leaders to shield their citizens from these high-level battles is immense, 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 proof that the government pact in the Canaries is, to say the least, fragile. Ángel Víctor Torres's move has been clever: he's put Clavijo on the ropes, forcing him to demonstrate his leadership and ability to build consensus. 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 looking at this with an investor's eye and a long-term view, 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 cost. The time for backroom deals is over; now it's time to dance in Congress and, as in any dance, a wrong step can be very costly. We'll see who ends up stepping on whose toes.