Social and political organizations have gathered signatures and are preparing this street protest to halt the attempts by transnational company Repsol of installing oil rigs in the coasts of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura islands.

In a report issued by Mas Voces about this environmental conflict, it is stated that this “unique natural space” –whose main source of income is tourism- would be at risk if the nine oil rigs announced by the corporation are built.

“They haven’t learnt anything after the accident at the Gulf of Mexico where the damage caused by a similar oil rig will take centuries to be reverted”, stated the Spanish news website.

The inhabitants of the Canary Islands want to avoid a disaster and that’s why social movements have started to mobilize, said Leandro, a leader of the Citizen Movement of Lanzarote to Radio Geneto.

“We don’t want to deplete the bottom of the sea”, said the environmental activist, and added that “most of the population sees a serious danger” in Repsol’s project.

He also said that the rigs, according to official data, would be located 60 km from the coast, although the organizations fear that in some areas of the archipelago, they will end up being just 4 kilometers away.

The Repsol project was even rejected by the Fuerteventura and Lanzarote Councils, except for delegates of the right wing Partido Popular.

In an interview with Diario de Lanzarote, the Head of the Fuerteventura Council, Mario Cabrera, argued strongly against the project. "The final battle against oil exploitation is in the hands of the society", he concluded.

Photo: Diario de Lanzarote