They don't want people from the south. The power dynamics in the Canary Islands' private sector are undergoing a profound structural shift, revealing a gap in representation between the institutional-industrial elite of the capital and the archipelago's main economic engine: southern Gran Canaria. The Canary Islands Confederation of Employers (CCE) has taken a decisive step by officially announcing the governing structure that will aspire to lead the organization during the 2026-2030 period. Pedro Ortega, running unopposed for the presidency, has his continuity at the helm of the main business organization in the province of Las Palmas virtually guaranteed. To lead the employers' association for the next four years, Ortega has surrounded himself with a very defined inner circle, adding María de la Salud Gil Romero, Juan Ramírez Said, and Germán Carlos Suárez to his project. No one from the FEHT (Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Businesses) of Las Palmas.
This strategic alliance for the ordinary vice-presidencies draws a dividing line in the island's economic landscape. By elevating figures closely linked to sectors such as construction, port logistics, and general services, the employers' association has excluded the influential unions and tourism businesses of Maspalomas, Mogán, and San Bartolomé de Tirajana from the core of the organization's future executive power.
The absence of tourism sector leaders from the south of Gran Canaria from the CCE's executive board comes at a delicate time for the hospitality industry. Despite the fact that southern Gran Canaria generates the majority of the province's gross domestic product through international tourism, the employers' association's future leadership structure demonstrates that institutional power remains firmly entrenched in Las Palmas.
The corporate profiles of the triumvirate chosen by Ortega point directly to an approach that is detrimental to southern Gran Canaria. Salud Gil represents the construction sector, an industry embroiled in complex regulatory battles over public works and land-use planning. Germán Suárez embodies the maritime, logistics, and port interests linked to the Port of La Luz, a historical pillar of the capital's wealth. For his part, Juan Ramírez underpins the services sector and metropolitan commercial networks.
The Board of Directors' decision to structure the executive with three ordinary vice-presidencies—in addition to the Executive Vice-Presidency of José Cristóbal García García—aims to strengthen the Confederation's internal operations and representative capacity. The explicit objective is to address challenges such as productivity deficits, housing shortages, labor shortages, and evolving business costs. However, the omission of a high-profile vice-presidency dedicated exclusively to the accommodation sector suggests that the specific concerns of the southern tourist areas will be mediated through a residential and metropolitan lens, rather than being addressed by the hoteliers themselves.
The final validation of this governing team will take place on June 30th at the Electoral Assembly. Barring a major unforeseen event, the ratification of Ortega's list will institutionalize this new executive elite until 2030. For businesses operating on the coasts of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Mogán, the message coming from the capital is clear: the south will continue to sustain the island's economic balance, but the levers of strategic and political power remain firmly in the north.
