The debate over the unity of Canarian nationalism is no longer being fought solely in the offices of Tenerife or within island pacts. The south of Gran Canaria, the archipelago's tourism hub, has become the epicenter of the future electoral strategy that Coalición Canaria (CC) and Primero Canarias—the brand of those from Nueva Canarias—are seeking to articulate for 2027. And two prominent names are emerging on that stage: Alejandro Marichal in San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Samuel Henríquez in the Gran Canaria Island Council, according to the theory behind CC in Tenerife.
The willingness expressed this Tuesday by Francisco Linares, Secretary General of CC in Tenerife, to forge a major alliance with Primero Canarias resonates squarely with the southern reality. There, Marichal (Tourism Councilor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana) and Henríquez (former Deputy Mayor and Tourism Councilor in Tirajana) oversee the management of the Canary Islands' most powerful destinations: Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, and Meloneras. Their influence extends beyond the municipal level, as they represent nationalism in the territory that contributes the most tourism GDP to the archipelago.
For the strategists of CC and Primero Canarias, the south of Gran Canaria is more than just a voting center: it's a symbol of power and stability. San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Mogán not only concentrate tourist beds and employment, they also mark the political pulse of the island. Hence, both Marichal and Henríquez are seen as natural leaders in a future united front.
Linares himself has acknowledged that there is a "good disposition" to move toward a unified project, in line with the emergence of Primero Canarias, led by Teodoro Sosa from Gáldar. This harmony, however, finds its most tangible laboratory in the South: a space where CC and NC have learned to coexist and negotiate in the area of daily tourism management.
If this "grand alliance" materializes, Canarian nationalism would go to the polls in 2027 with a united front, with southern Gran Canaria as its most visible showcase. In both Maspalomas and Mogán, voters identify Marichal and Henríquez as representatives of a pragmatic nationalism, linked to the defense of tourism, economic diversification, and municipal autonomy in the face of centralized decisions.
At a time when the Canary Islands are seeking greater political cohesion and negotiating power with Madrid and Brussels, the equation is clear: without the South of Gran Canaria, there can be no real unity of nationalism. And that's the card Alejandro Marichal and Samuel Henríquez have already begun to play.
