Montecarmelo Residents Demand Resignation of Madrid Mayor Over 'Canton' Project
The 'No to Montecarmelo Canton' Platform delivers an open letter to Mayor Almeida after the judicial suspension of construction works.
By Alberto Delgado Sanz
••3 min read
IA
Facade of a Madrid town hall with a balcony and iron railings, warm afternoon light.
Members of the 'No to Montecarmelo Canton' Platform have handed an open letter to the Mayor of Madrid, demanding his resignation and that of two councilors after the judicial suspension of construction works.
The 'No to Montecarmelo Canton' Platform has formalized its demand for the resignation of Madrid's Mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, as well as councilors Borja Carabante and José Antonio Martínez Páramo. The delivery of an open letter follows a judge's order to provisionally halt the construction of the planned canton and machinery base in the Montecarmelo neighborhood.
This judicial decision is seen by residents as a validation of their demands, which have been ongoing for nearly three years of protests and mobilizations against the installation promoted by the Madrid City Council. According to the platform, the municipal government «has forgotten it is a public servant and does not listen to citizens».
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"It is an open letter because during these three years of peaceful struggle we have sent them four letters, one of them accompanied by 14,000 signatures, and they have never responded."
In the document, the platform accuses the City Council of acting «against the citizens' outcry» and recalls that the works for the so-called «industrial mega-canton of waste» were provisionally halted by judicial order last week. Residents maintain that the Consistory has ignored the alternatives proposed by the neighborhood and denounce «permanent lies», «contempt» towards residents, and management based «on the abuse of the absolute majority's power».
The Platform insists that these types of facilities «must be located on industrial land, far from homes and educational centers» and warns that it will continue with mobilizations until the definitive suspension of the project is achieved. They also criticize the felling of trees on the affected plot and police actions during recent protests.
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"We will not stop until we definitively halt your landfill. An industrial canton, technically called a machinery park, must be installed on industrial land, away from homes and educational centers. What you are doing lacks all logic and, not only is it not understood, but it raises suspicions."
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"We conclude this letter, firmly reiterating our request: please, resign. We have lost confidence in you. You are not worthy of our vote, nor of remaining in a public servant position when you have amply demonstrated that you do not serve the citizens' interest and consensus, nor even common sense or the best interest of the minor as required by law."
