The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) has accused Oswaldo Betancort of misleading the public while allowing Lanzarote to remain the only island not benefiting from a temporary fuel price subsidy. This measure, which remains active in 2026, has yet to provide any financial support to Lanzarote since its introduction.
Socialist councillor Benjamín Perdomo claimed in a press release that the Canarian government is discriminating against Lanzarote by excluding it once again from assistance designed to reduce disparities in fuel prices, directly impacting families, workers, self-employed individuals, transporters, and small businesses on the island.
“Oswaldo Betancort is lying when he suggests he defends Lanzarote. The facts show the opposite: Lanzarote has not once benefited from this subsidy, and he remains silent. As president of the Cabildo, he should be advocating for our land, not acting as a delegate for the Canarian Coalition or turning a blind eye when his government neglects us,” Perdomo asserted.
Currently, an order in effect since 27 March 2026 provides a 20-cent-per-litre subsidy for El Hierro, La Gomera, and La Palma, while Lanzarote is once again excluded. The PSOE points out that regulations had stipulated that the subsidy should extend to non-capital islands when the average prices of supplies exceeded 0.05 euros compared to the capital islands. However, the party argues that the Canarian government has shown it can apply specific criteria when politically motivated.
“Where the government wants to, it finds ways to apply the subsidy in other islands. La Palma justified its subsidy after the volcanic eruption, while Fuerteventura has received it in the past. El Hierro and La Gomera maintain subsidies based on average prices. But Lanzarote is permanently excluded. What is Oswaldo Betancort doing in the meantime? Lying, staying silent, and allowing this,” Perdomo added.
He believes this situation highlights Lanzarote’s “lack of political weight” within the Canarian government and criticises the Cabildo president for failing to secure fair treatment for his party.
“Lanzarote faces double insularity, dependence on private vehicles, rising living costs, and significant economic pressure on families. It’s incomprehensible that it is the only island never to have benefitted from a measure intended to address territorial inequalities,” he stated.
Perdomo emphasised that the problem extends beyond merely lacking this specific aid. It reflects how the Canarian government continues to treat Lanzarote as a second-class island, supported by a Cabildo president who “prefers not to upset Fernando Clavijo rather than defend the interests of Lanzarote’s citizens.”
“The silence of Oswaldo Betancort costs Lanzarote’s residents money. Each time he remains quiet about discrimination, it is families filling their tanks, self-employed individuals who need to travel for work, transporters, and small businesses that pay the price,” he concluded.
PSOE Lanzarote is urging the Canarian government to urgently review the subsidy application system to include broader and fairer criteria that consider double insularity, transport realities, living costs, impacts on productive sectors, and the unique characteristics of the island’s energy market.
The socialists are also demanding that Oswaldo Betancort stop misleading the public, break his silence, and publicly urge the regional government to immediately include Lanzarote in this subsidy.
“Lanzarote cannot remain the only excluded island. It needs a president who stands up for this land, not one who bows to party pressure. In this matter, Oswaldo Betancort has once again shown he prioritises the interests of the Canarian Coalition over those of Lanzarote,” Perdomo concluded.
