The president of the Canary Islands Confederation of Businessmen (CCE), Pedro Ortega, is exploring a statutory reform that would eliminate the current term limit. If approved, this change would allow him to remain indefinitely at the helm of the most influential business organization in the province of Las Palmas.
According to Maspalomas24H, Ortega has begun informal discussions within the executive committee to remove the temporary restrictions on the president's position, presenting the measure as a "technical update" of the bylaws. However, the proposal has already raised concerns among various business sectors—particularly the tourism sector in southern Gran Canaria—who interpret the move as an attempt at institutional protection.
"The CCE is experiencing an anomaly: it's not chaired by a businessman, but by a manager. And that changes the meaning of representation," said one hotel owner interviewed.
The initiative opens a broader debate on the internal governance of the CCE. In recent years, the employers' association has seen its structure become bureaucratized to the point that a large part of its resources come from training programs subsidized by the Canary Islands government and European funds, which has generated a certain dependence on public funding.
"If leadership can be permanent and funding comes from the state, the line between a private organization and a public agency becomes blurred," reflects one industrial entrepreneur.
In parallel, some members have pointed out the curious state of the CCE statutes themselves: in one of its digital versions, a section appears with illegible text that literally reads “Q:|`$傐*!�[)蛡�Y)〆迸E瓺HNI+桚�(u6橍€洞砸w蓜J]鈱��讜領qy2μ�)oY赌+萔桺諕1,%"*V豝�”. An unintentional irony —some say— about the level of documentary transparency of the confederation.
Reactions in the tourism sector
The proposal has sparked unrest among the business community in southern Gran Canaria, where the main tourism groups are concentrated. Industry sources emphasize that Ortega's presidency has never been directly linked to the industrial sector, and they believe that eliminating term limits would "institutionalize a position that is more administrative than business-related."
In this context, it is also recalled that the CCE has lost influence in the national CEOE and that its role in dialogue with the regional government is increasingly formal, closer to managing subsidies than defending business interests.
Context and political background
The debate over mandates comes at a time when Canarian employers' associations are redefining their role in the regional economy, shaped by European funds and the energy transition. The reform, if approved, would consolidate Ortega's power at a time of growing hybridization between the public and private sectors.
As one veteran member of the confederation sums up: "At the CCE, every statutory reform promises to modernize the institution, but almost always ends up reinforcing the control of those already inside."
