The Cabildo of Gran Canaria has issued a statement asserting that the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the only legal entity responsible for preserving the murals of Jesús Arencibia in the Ermita de Santa Catalina del Pueblo Canario, which is declared a BIC. The island institution responds to the statements made by the Urban Development councillor, Mauricio Roque, who attempted to share responsibility for the deterioration of the artwork.
The Cabildo of Gran Canaria has reacted to the statements made by the Urban Development councillor of the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Mauricio Roque, who suggested in comments to a local media outlet that the island institution bore some responsibility for the deterioration of the mural paintings by Jesús Arencibia. The Cabildo's response was swift: a public statement clarifying that the only legally mandated entity responsible for the conservation of these murals is the City Council.
Municipal competencies and conservation duty
The Cabildo reminds that the Ermita de Santa Catalina del Pueblo Canario, where the works are located, is exclusively owned by the municipality and is declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC). According to the Cultural Heritage Law of the Canary Islands, property owners — in this case, the City Council — are obliged to conserve, maintain, and restore the assets to prevent their deterioration.
The island government emphasises that the City Council, as a Public Administration, also has the constitutional obligation to guarantee the protection of historical, cultural, and artistic heritage, according to Article 46 of the Spanish Constitution. Therefore, it considers that it is neither fair nor respectful to attribute part of its responsibility to another administration.
The island institution highlights that all it has done is exercise its inspection authority in response to municipal non-compliance and report the facts to the Government of the Canary Islands, which has initiated a procedure for alleged serious infringement in cultural heritage matters. The Cabildo regrets that the City Council, which has the authority to oversee heritage within its municipal area, points to another administration.
The Cabildo attempted to collaborate
According to the Cabildo's statement, the island institution attempted to collaborate with various technical reports to mitigate or halt the damage to the mural paintings. However, it insists that the duty of conservation rests solely with the owner, which in this case is the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The Cabildo believes that the City Council wants to make it seem that the responsibility is shared under the argument of an alleged delay in intervention, when, on the contrary, the legal duty is exclusively that of the local corporation. The island institution reminds that criminal law penalises attacks on cultural heritage.
For the residents of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, this controversy represents a new chapter in the management of local heritage, which directly affects an emblematic space like the Pueblo Canario. Citizens are questioning who will truly ensure the conservation of Arencibia's murals, a work of great artistic value that is in poor condition.
Procedure opened by the Government of the Canary Islands
The Government of the Canary Islands has already opened a procedure against the City Council for the deterioration of the murals, which could lead to financial penalties. The Cabildo reminds that the Cultural Heritage Law of the Canary Islands establishes that municipalities must oversee heritage within their municipal area and notify the Cabildo of any risk of deterioration, as well as adopt precautionary measures.
This exchange of accusations between public administrations highlights the complexity of heritage management in the Canary Islands, where responsibilities are divided among cabildos, city councils, and the regional government. Meanwhile, Jesús Arencibia's murals remain exposed to deterioration, awaiting an urgent intervention that seems to be delayed.
The Cabildo concludes its statement by affirming that it has exercised its inspection powers and reported the facts to the regional administration. Now, it will be up to the Government of the Canary Islands to decide on the measures to be taken against the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for the alleged failure to fulfil its conservation duty.
The controversy is likely to continue in the coming days, with the City Council and the Cabildo maintaining opposing positions. Meanwhile, the residents of the Gran Canaria capital watch with concern as a heritage that should be protected by all administrations deteriorates.
You may also like
