Socialist MP Rosa Bella Cabrera advocates in the Canary Parliament for addressing the progressive closure of the Pájara shooting range with institutional cooperation and without confrontations with the State.
The MP for the Socialist Parliamentary Group in Fuerteventura, Rosa Bella Cabrera, defended this Tuesday in the Plenary of the Canary Parliament the need to address the future of the National Maneuvers and Shooting Range of Pájara through dialogue, rigor, and institutional cooperation. She did so during the debate on a Non-Law Proposal that proposes the progressive closure of this military facility.
A historic debate returns to the Chamber
Cabrera emphasized that this is a matter that, in addition to being political, is closely related to the history of Fuerteventura. Therefore, she rejected simplistic or maximalist approaches. "This is a debate that has been ongoing for a long time and is not a simple issue, nor does it have a single version when addressing it," she stated.
The MP recalled that this demand has been present for decades among the citizens of Majorera. It was already the subject of debate in the regional Chamber in the last legislature in 2020, when a similar initiative was processed. On that occasion, the Socialist Group also participated actively.
"Talking about the future of Pájara and Fuerteventura involves dialogue, listening, and finding solutions that make the general interest of the State compatible with the aspirations of an island that wants to continue advancing and building a future," concluded Cabrera.
No confrontations with the State
Cabrera rejected interpreting this issue as a confrontation between Fuerteventura and the State. "We do not share the narratives that present this matter as a conflict between the island and the State, because it is not," she pointed out. In her view, the State has the responsibility to guarantee national defense, and the Canary Islands occupy a unique geostrategic position, especially in an increasingly complex international context.
The socialist MP argued that recognizing this reality is fully compatible with opening a reflection on the future of the land occupied by the shooting range. "If circumstances have changed, if military technology has evolved, and if Fuerteventura has also changed over the last few decades, it is reasonable to open a calm dialogue about the future of this land," she explained.
Fuerteventura, a transformed island
Cabrera highlighted the profound transformation experienced by Fuerteventura in the last fifty years. The island has established itself as a Biosphere Reserve and has developed an economic model linked to tourism, land protection, research, and sustainability. According to the MP, this paradigm shift must be taken into account in any debate about the land use of the shooting range.
She also emphasized that any stable and definitive solution must necessarily be built with the participation of the Spanish Government, the competent administration in defense matters. "The State Government must be part of that conversation, not as an adversary, but as the administration with which any solution that aims to be stable and definitive must be constructed," she stated.
For the socialist MP, that role of bridging between administrations is precisely the responsibility that the Parliament of the Canary Islands must assume, promoting consensus and seeking agreements that allow for the compatibility of the general interest of the State with the legitimate aspirations for development of Fuerteventura.
For now, the initiative continues its parliamentary processing. The residents of Pájara and the rest of the island will be attentive to the next steps, which could define the future of this land and its impact on the Majorera development model.
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