La Palma volcano: displaced residents face housing crisis and aid transparency disputes

Five years after the Tajogaite volcano eruption on La Palma, displaced residents continue to face housing instability. In Los Llanos de Aridane, more than 60 families still reside in prefabricated container homes provided by the Canary Islands regional government and state funding. These units, installed between February and December 2022, serve as a temporary solution for those whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed by lava.

Simultaneously, a legal conflict has emerged regarding the management of reconstruction funds. The Government of the Canary Islands is facing a court challenge after refusing to release the list of aid beneficiaries, citing privacy concerns and the Law of Volcanoes. This decision has led to a confrontation with the Transparency Commissioner, Noelia García Leal, who argues that taxpayers have a right to audit the use of public funds and that the administration must ensure accountability in the distribution of subsidies.