Carmen Pérez Confirmed as Popular Party Candidate for Santa Cruz Mayor
Carmen Pérez has officially launched her bid for mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife as the Popular Party candidate, pledging a practical, management-focused platform centered on housing, mobility, security, and urban cleanliness.
The race for mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is heating up now that Carmen Pérez has been confirmed as the Popular Party’s candidate. In a recent interview with El Día, the current first deputy mayor and municipal spokesperson officially announced her bid to lead the city council, marking a shift from her long career in the private sector to public administration.
With over 20 years of experience as a lawyer, Pérez aims to bring a technical, practical approach to the role. She is moving away from traditional political sparring, focusing instead on a platform built around four key pillars: housing, mobility, security, and cleanliness. She credits her time at the Development Society for shaping this vision, where she worked to bring business-style efficiency to local government.
Her candidacy comes at a critical time for the city. Santa Cruz faces major structural hurdles, including the need for better coordination with the Island Council (Cabildo) and the Canary Islands government to move forward on housing and land-use policies. Pérez also faces the challenge of defining the city’s commercial future, particularly regarding the Large Tourist Influx Zone (ZGAT) and the management of municipal markets, such as Nuestra Señora de África and the La Abejera school-market project.
To win over voters, Pérez is prioritizing a "boots on the ground" approach, stepping out of the office to listen directly to residents in their neighborhoods. This strategy coincides with a period of high visibility for the city, which has been named the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy for 2027—a title the current administration hopes will boost the economy and diversify the service sector.
Politically, Pérez has reaffirmed her commitment to the current governing pact with the Canarian Coalition, emphasizing that she values effective public services over party politics. While she acknowledges the personal toll of public life, she is positioning herself as a leader who can balance the continuity of current projects with the rigorous planning needed to address the city’s evolving social and demographic needs.