The PSOE party in Lanzarote has accused Oswaldo Betancort of trying to cover up the dismissal of Ángel Vázquez by proposing a plan that would allow Vázquez to continue receiving pay while misleading the public into thinking he had been terminated. The socialists claim that Betancort’s proposal, presented to the board of the Centres for Art, Culture and Tourism (CACT), only mentioned Vázquez’s medical leave and the assumption of his responsibilities by María Jesús Tovar.
Ariagona González, the PSOE spokesperson at the Cabildo, stated that the proposal highlights the “deception” by Betancort. “He has lied to the public about Vázquez’s dismissal. What he presented as a final decision was merely an attempt to substitute someone due to medical leave. Everything was set up for Vázquez to keep getting paid while Betancort pretended to seek accountability,” she said.
In response to this situation, the Socialist Group insisted on adding the explicit dismissal of Vázquez to the agenda of the CACT board meeting. According to González, this move undermines Betancort’s narrative that the scandal had been resolved.
“If Ángel Vázquez was dismissed, why wasn’t it included in the agenda? Why did the proposal only address his medical leave and Tovar taking over the area? We had to demand that Betancort include the dismissal he had already presented as a fait accompli,” noted González.
The socialists also recalled that they sought accountability after it was revealed that Vázquez was involved in the resolution which granted his son a permanent position at the Tourist Centres. González accused Betancort of hiding behind the Popular Party to avoid facing the necessary explanations as the head of the Cabildo.
“Betancort’s priority has been to find an easy way out for his government partner. He announced a dismissal yet presented a medical leave to the board. This discrepancy shows how far he was willing to go to protect Vázquez and deceive the people of Lanzarote about the political repercussions of these events,” she asserted.
Furthermore, the PSOE warned that including the dismissal in the CACT agenda does not absolve further responsibilities. The Socialist Group continues to demand that Betancort remove Vázquez from the Government Council and call for an extraordinary session where the president can address the situation.
“Someone who has prepared for years to secure a public post deserves to trust in the integrity of the procedures. When a political figure signs off on their child’s appointment while remaining under the president’s protection, it undermines that trust. Betancort must explain why he believes Ángel Vázquez can remain part of his government after these events,” González concluded.
