No Sahrawis in the new leadership of NC. A tapestry of old glories, promises of the future, and, of course, the unavoidable "renewal." This Sunday, Nueva Canarias (NC) held its sixth national congress, and the curtain rose to introduce its new secretary general, the diligent Luis Campos. A man who assumes the position with "strength and responsibility," which, for a politician, is like saying a fish swims in water. Normal.
And while NC was staging this dance of armchairs and new old positions, a sarcastic and rather loud laugh could be heard from a distance. That of the splinter group called Prica, Primero Canarias, which, with its own hands and not without a certain malice, claims that time has proved them right in their desire for "renewal."
We could see the original lineup as those parents who resist change, entrenched in their old ways. And Prica, the rebellious daughter who, fed up with the prohibition, the stifling rules, the inability to tattoo her skin with new ideas or bold proposals, one day decided she'd had enough. She slammed the door. But the most surprising thing about this rebellion wasn't her own departure, but rather that, to the astonishment and dismay of those who remained at the parent company, she took all the siblings with her. Or, at least, a substantial portion of the political offspring who also longed for something more than redecorating the living room with the same old furniture.
Prica, from his new hideout, displays his own tattoos, his insignia of a renewal that, unlike NC's, has not been merely nominal. And from there, he gloats, watching how in his father's house the same names remain at the helm, with a change of chair, while they claim to have been the true champions of change. The paradox of Canarian politics at its best: for renewal to occur, sometimes there is no other option than secession.
But don't be confused by the buzzword "renewal." Here comes the first touch of humor (or surrealism, depending on how you look at it). It turns out that the outgoing Román Rodríguez, who had been at the helm of the party for two decades, announced his departure from the leadership yesterday, along with Carmelo Ramírez, another heavyweight. A "step aside," as they say now, to make room for the new generations. A gesture of "generosity," in Campos's words.
However, Román and Carmelo's generosity has nuances. Luis Campos, the new secretary, has confessed to reporters that his "condition" for taking the helm was precisely to have them both on board! What a renewal! Thus, Román Rodríguez becomes the Secretary General of Strategy, Programs, and Training (a position that sounds like guardian of the essence, but from the rearguard), and Carmelo Ramírez becomes the Secretary General of International Solidarity (so he can continue doing what he does, but with a more exotic title). It's the classic "I'm leaving to continue being here, but in a different way." Like the salt in the mojo picón (a spicy sauce), which is there, but you can't see the grain.
Campos, with a seriousness that's almost laughable, argued that "anything was possible at the congress," that forum where activists express their opinions "without impositions." Of course! He also reassured us by assuring us that it wasn't a "Bulgarian-style congress" (where everything is approved by Soviet unanimity), because "that would have worried him." A 90% vote in favor, I mean, what others would want.
The new leader of NC, Luis Campos, has wrapped himself in the cloak of epic, promising to "fight" the far right and "solve the people's real problems." It's the same old story, of course. To achieve this, he has a "great team of men and women," among whom Carmen Hernández stands out as his number two, the new national deputy general secretary. The iron lady of organizational charts.
And let's not forget the others: Natalia Santana (President of the National Bodies, which is like being the kingdom's chief notary), José Correa (Territory and Environment, so that the landscape doesn't escape them), and the people from Organization and Infrastructure. An executive with 40 souls and a "national tagoror" of 80, because, as Campos rightly emphasized, NC "remains more alive than ever and with values and a future." Let the world tremble, Nueva Canarias has a team!
At this congress, where four presentations (politics, statutes, feminism and equality, and youth) and seventeen resolutions were approved, the agenda was marked by the "usual priorities": land, solidarity, peace, justice, and social services. In other words, everything that sounds good at a rally.
And in case anyone doubted its existence, Campos has proclaimed that NC "has not disappeared," despite the "messages to that effect." These messages undoubtedly come from the independent mayors who abandoned them to form their own shack (that "rebel daughter"). But Luis Campos has already thrown down the gauntlet: they will go after them, forming local committees in every corner, because they are an "organization of eight islands and 88 municipalities." An ambition that remains undiminished, despite the departures.
Looking ahead to the upcoming elections, "there's plenty of time if they get to work," Campos assured. And yes, they will seek agreements with the "Canarian left," along the lines of what they did with "Ahora Guía," but be careful, with autonomy! No dilution. It's about "updating ideas without abandoning the essentials." A balancing act worthy of a tightrope walker.
So, under the guise of "renewal," NC seems to be relying on the old adage that sometimes, to move forward, you have to make sure those who were pushing you from behind are still in the lead, even if it's with a new title and a "generous gesture." Canarian politics, ladies and gentlemen, in its purest form: a family drama with comedy overtones, where the real question is who has the tattoos that matter, or who just paints their skin for the photo op.
