Arona: Vox Councilor Incident Reignites No-Confidence Talk
New tensions within Arona's three-party government, fueled by an alleged incident involving a Vox councilor and a reported internal party rift, have reignited speculation about a potential no-confidence vote, which the mayor has dismissed.
Arona City Council has been politically unstable since the current term began, and this instability is back in the spotlight. Recent reports suggest new tensions within the local government. DIARIO DE AVISOS revealed that Vox councilor Melania Santos was reportedly involved in an incident, sparking new talk about a possible no-confidence vote.
The current government in Arona is made up of three parties: Coalición Canaria, Partido Popular, and Vox. For over a year, this three-party government has been running without a strong majority. The council has 25 members in total, and 13 votes are needed for an absolute majority. Here's the current breakdown: PSOE has 8 councilors, PP has 5, CC has 5, Más por Arona has 4 (after leaving the government), Vox has 2, and Nueva Canarias has 1. This means the two Vox councilors, who joined the government in January 2025, hold significant power in how votes play out.
Adding to the complexity is a reported split within the Vox party itself. Sources close to the council say there's a major rift between the two Vox councilors, Naim and Melania, whose relationship has reportedly worsened recently.
Amidst this, rumors have spread that Melania Santos intended to "threaten the mayor with pushing for a no-confidence motion to benefit the PSOE." However, the PSOE has strongly denied this, calling it "completely false" and suggesting the rumors might be fueled by "personal interests." The Vox party leadership, for its part, stated that anything said (or not said) by its councilors is a private matter and doesn't reflect the party's official position.
Arona's mayor, Fátima Lemes (from the PP party), has dismissed these rumors, according to DIARIO DE AVISOS. Mayor Lemes thinks such speculation is normal in politics during this term. She also believes that a no-confidence motion, with the 2027 elections just over a year away, wouldn't be a "smart" move, though she acknowledges any party's right to propose such actions. The mayor confirmed that the current governing agreement is not threatened by those who are working, and there has been no communication about any such motion.
The local political situation has been unstable for a long time, not just recently. Talk of a no-confidence motion has been ongoing since the start of this term, due to the complicated council voting numbers and long-standing disagreements. For example, the relationship between the PSOE and Más por Arona, two important left-wing parties in the area, is almost non-existent. This strained relationship began with internal issues within the local socialist party, leading to the expulsion of José Julián Mena and Luis García from the PSOE in 2020. Luis García later founded Más por Arona. This split created a division that still makes it hard to form alliances or find political alternatives in Arona, at least until the next election.