The Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, has held a working meeting with the Secretary of State for Youth and Children, Rubén Pérez Correa, with the aim of analyzing measures aimed at promoting the permanence of youth on the island and advancing demographic rejuvenation strategies. During the meeting, both parties agreed that the retention of talent is one of the main structural challenges of La Palma, accentuated after the volcanic eruption of 2021, which aggravated already existing problems such as youth emigration and the lack of job opportunities.

The Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, met with researchers from the Institute of Catalysis and Petroleochemistry (ICP-CSIC), together with the head of the CO₂ Alert project of the National Geographic Institute (IGN), Carmen López, to learn first-hand about the progress of the state institution in terms of the capture and transformation of gases, one of the main challenges in La Palma after the eruption. This joint effort integrates first-level scientific knowledge with real needs of the territory, especially in areas such as Puerto Naos and La Bombilla, where the accumulation of CO₂ in soils and buildings continues to condition the safe return of the population.

The recent institutional visit to La Palma by the Mental Health Commissioner, Belén González, highlighted the importance of coordination between different areas of the Government in the recovery process of the island. In this context, the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, participated in the event evidencing the integration of reconstruction policies with attention to the emotional well-being of the population. The Day Centre and the Night Unit of San Andrés y Sauces, visited by the authorities, was valued and implemented with the investment of 1.5 million euros from the Ministry of Health, transferred through an agreement with the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands following the eruption of the Tajogaite volcano.

The Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, has held a working meeting with representatives of the Official College of Social Graduates of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, headed by its dean, Adalberto Luis, as well as with the representatives of the agency in La Palma and the mutual collaborators with the Social Security responsible for the processing of benefits, the Island Director of the State Administration in La Palma, Carlos García and the president of the Island Council, Sergio Rodríguez.

The inauguration of the XVII Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism in the Insular Museum of La Palma was attended by outstanding authorities linked to the territorial planning and reconstruction of the island. Among them, the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, attended together with the Secretary General of Urban Agenda, Housing and Architecture, Iñaqui Carnicero.

The follow-up meeting of the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, with the Insurance Compensation Consortium, under the Ministry of Economy, has highlighted the decisive role of this institution in the recovery process of the island after the volcanic eruption. The meeting was attended by Mª Flavia Rodríguez-Pone, Director General, and Celedonio Villamayor, Director of Operations, who presented the progress made and the work in progress.

The Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, values positively the application of the 60% deduction in the Personal Income Tax (IRPF) corresponding to the year 2025 for residents of the island of La Palma, whose campaign begins on April 8. In economic terms, Izquierdo highlights that the estimated impact of this deduction in 2025 amounts to 111 million euros, a figure significantly higher than the 78 million euros recorded in its first year of application, in 2022, which demonstrates “the growing capacity of this measure to generate economic activity and support reconstruction,” he explains.

The Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, very positively values the start of the development in Spain of an innovative microchip capable of capturing photons individually, which will be installed at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory. This strategic technology places the island at the centre of international scientific research. It will be developed by the company Teledyne-Anafocus thanks to its own funds from the Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) and the cofinancing of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It also has the supervision of the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IIA-CSIC) and validation at the Gran Telescope Canarias.

The Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, has given a gift of commemorative thanks to the scientist Nemesio Pérez, in recognition of his commitment to palm society and his decisive contribution during the volcanic eruption and the subsequent process for the island to return to normality. The scientific coordinator of the Involcan has collected the commemorative plaque on behalf of the Involcan and ITER teams, who have participated in volcanic monitoring in the Canary Islands for more than 27 years.

The Center for Tourism Initiatives (CIT) Insular ‘La Palma’ celebrated its 25th anniversary this Saturday with a commemorative event in the Plaza de España of Los Llanos de Aridane, in the municipality of Los Llanos de Aridane. The day served to commemorate a quarter of a century of work in favor of the tourist development of La Palma. The program included awards, exhibitions of indigenous sports, musical performances and tastings of local cuisine. The event had the institutional participation of the Special Commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, Héctor Izquierdo, whose presence highlighted the importance of tourism as a key driver in the process of economic and social recovery of the island after the volcanic eruption.