The short version

In October 2020, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria gave the Evangelical Church of Las Palmas a grant of €177,802 to build a social centre in El Fondillo. Six years later, the church has neither produced the required proof of expenditure nor repaid the money. With late-payment interest, the debt stands at €205,588.83. Now the Cabildo is seizing assets.

The long version is more interesting.

Six years, zero proof

The project was called Edificando un futuro — Centro Social en El Fondillo 2020. The church was to invest the money in expanding its community centre and then submit a completion report with a final building certificate. The deadline: three months after project completion — originally February 2021.

As early as December 2020, the church asked for an extension — blaming Covid. The Cabildo granted one month, to the end of March 2021. In August 2021 the church submitted documents. The Cabildo took a year and a half to review them and in March 2023 concluded: incomplete. In July 2024 came another request — the final building certificate was still missing.

Meanwhile, the Cabildo discovered that the church had spent money on items not included in the original budget — €42,608 on plans and extension works for which no project modification had been requested.

In October 2024, the Consejería de Presidencia launched full repayment proceedings. With interest: €205,588.83. Voluntary payment deadline: 20 April 2025. The church did not pay.

What came next — in slow motion

What followed was a choreography of appeals, missed deadlines and notifications that nobody collected.

The voluntary period expired in November 2025. On 23 January 2026, enforcement was ordered. The church filed an appeal claiming the payment notice had not been served. Dismissed: service was on record from 28 November 2025. On 12 March the church requested suspension and instalment payments. Valora, the Cabildo tax and enforcement body, demanded guarantees. The church offered a property. The Cabildo set a deadline for supporting documents. The deadline passed. On 15 April the application was archived.

Now the seizure is underway — until full satisfaction of the debt, surcharges, interest and costs.

The man behind the church

At the time the grant was awarded in 2020, Rafael Hernández was president of the Iglesia Evangélica de Las Palmas. He was simultaneously pastor of the El Fondillo centre, president of COAG-Canarias (the Canary Islands farmers union) and director of the NGO Oportunidades de Vida.

The Consejería de Presidencia that approved the grant is headed by Teodoro Sosa. In January 2026, a heated clash erupted in committee between Sosa and PP councillor Pepa Luzardo, who had referred the case to the Tribunal de Cuentas. Sosa accused Luzardo of filing baseless complaints. Luzardo asked how many more of the department grants were sitting with Valora for enforcement.

The grant was a so-called subvención nominativa — a direct allocation without competitive tender. Legal in the Canaries, but politically controversial for the discretion they allow.

What happens now

The Cabildo enforces. The church owns a property in El Fondillo declared free of encumbrances. If no payment is made, the case can move to judicial enforcement.

What is not happening: criminal prosecution for grant fraud. That would require proof of intent, which the current file does not provide. There is negligence, missed deadlines and unaccounted expenditure — but no documented evidence of misappropriation. Nor is there evidence the money was used as intended. That is precisely the problem.

Questions and answers

Why is the Cabildo seizing assets from the Evangelical Church?

The Iglesia Evangélica de Las Palmas failed to account for a €177,802 grant from 2020 and did not repay the €205,588.83 demanded (principal plus interest). After all deadlines expired, the Cabildo initiated seizure proceedings through Valora.

What was the grant for?

For the project Edificando un futuro — Centro Social en El Fondillo 2020, the expansion of the church community centre in the El Fondillo district of Las Palmas. The required final building certificate was never submitted.

Who is Rafael Hernández?

In 2020, he was simultaneously president of the Iglesia Evangélica de Las Palmas, president of COAG-Canarias (the Canary Islands farmers union) and director of the NGO Oportunidades de Vida. He was pastor of the affected centre in El Fondillo.

Is this grant fraud?

The current file shows no criminal prosecution. There are unaccounted expenses and missing documentation, but no proof of intent. The proceedings are administrative (repayment and seizure), not criminal.

What happens next?

The Cabildo is enforcing the debt through Valora. The church owns a property in El Fondillo declared free of encumbrances. If payment is not made, the case can proceed to judicial enforcement.