The urban pelotazo of Aroztegia consisted in the transformation of 40 unurbanizable hectares into urbanizable lands. After this, it is intended to build a luxury hotel, a golf course and 228 homes in Lekaroz, a village of around 340 inhabitants.

This project was imposed through the PSIS (Supramunicipal Sectoral Plan). In this way, removing their lands from the village peasants, acquiring communal lands and entering the project without authorization of the hermitage that has been the property of the people of Lekaroz. To this end, they have passed over the decision-making capacity of the Baztan institutions, despite the fact that the Baztan General Boards, the Baztan Municipal Government, the people of Lekaroz and the whole Baztan have said on several occasions that they are against this project.

As we have already said on several occasions, this project would bring the socio-economic fabric of Baztan upside down. The impact of an urban project of these characteristics on the respiratory areas of the Basque Country is usually notable.

The Baztandarra completely breaks with the Urban Planning Plan approved through a participatory process. It would aggravate the water problem in Lekaroz. The precarious and provisional nature of the posts proposed.

At the bottom of Palacio de Arozteguia, S.L. is located, on the one hand, Inmobiliaria Caixa Galicia (with 51% of the participation), a bank that has been rescued with EUR 9 billion from the citizens. On the other hand, Salvador Urbistondo Arotzarena, Arotzarena Marin, brothers (including owners of SICAV and convicted of tax fraud) and Eduardo Zubikoa Viela, among others. These same, in La Oliva (Fuerteventura) and Arrollaleku (Erratzu-Baztan), have carried out similar urban pelotazos and have turned the protected space into a cement cemetery. After that, companies have dissolved and have “disappeared” leaving all their responsibilities to others.

Today, from what has been said that work has to start, there are a number of issues to be resolved. Recently the Baztan City Hall, at the request of the people of Lekaroz, has won the lawsuit on the property of the hermitage. The Court clearly states that the company has put the hermitage on the project as if it were yours, but has not proved it to be yours. Also in the awarding of works, the LAB syndicate has won the appeal against this procedure, demonstrating that the award does not comply with the contract law. Finally, the project of the Hotel’s works has a report against Príncipe de Viana, of the Department of Property of Navarra. Therefore, it does not comply with the rules. On this long road we are realizing that the promoters, despite the breach of laws and regulations, are moving forward with total impunity.

The last move was to get the support of the Hilton Hotel chain, which has been rejected. They want to sell us as a good thing, while they want to put us at the service of a multinational that has another hunger for insatiable money. The U.S. Hilton Hotel has recently received dozens of complaints from various courts in the United States. On the one hand, because we do not respect the rights of pregnant workers. On the other hand, thirteen women have accused this hotel chain of profiting from sex trafficking, some of which are minors. And we believe them! Are the posts they want to offer us for “indigenous women”?

As if this were not enough, until 2018 the multinational Blackstone Group has been one of the most important shareholders of the hotel chain Hilton. Known for his support for Donald Trump’s campaigns and his responsibility for the deforestation of the Amazon. The drafters of the UN Business and Human Rights reports have also denounced this multinational for the excessive increase in rents and the progress of violent evictions.

Therefore, faced with those who want to turn Baztan into a source of speculation and a theme park for a few rich people, we will continue to defend the Baztan of citizenship. We will defend our people, our language, our land and our right to decide. In this context, it is time to choose capital or life, we choose life. We therefore call on all citizens to participate in the actions that will be carried out in the coming months against this project.

Baztan is not for sale!

Carpentry…and what?