Tom Ewart Smith
A MAJOR eviction operation targeting an illegal settlement in Ibiza was abruptly suspended on Wednesday.
Thanks to a last-minute court ruling, the eviction of Can Rova 2 residents in Santa Eularia was halted just hours after it began.
The operation, which involved 84 officers from the Policia Local, Guardia Civil, and Policia Nacional, started at 9am on Wednesday following a March 25 court order by Palma’s Administrative Court No. 1.
However, Judge Cristina Pancorbo reversed her decision mid-morning after receiving a vulnerability report from lawyer David Fechenbach, who represents some of the settlement’s residents.
Fechenbach argued that the residents – many of whom are of Paraguayan origin – had never been properly notified of the eviction and were therefore unable to defend themselves legally.
He cited a lack of prior warning and their vulnerable living conditions, backed by a report from the Association of Paraguayans of Ibiza.
Santa Eularia officials admitted that no direct communication had been made with the occupants before initiating the operation.
Local safety councillor Juan Carlos Rosello said the eviction was based solely on a court procedure involving the Town Hall and landowners, and was prompted by serious health and safety risks, including exposed electrical wiring, fuel storage, and poorly maintained septic systems.
The site, a 26,000-square-metre plot of rural private land, had been previously flagged for unauthorised structures such as caravans, tents, and makeshift homes.
The local government also warned that infrastructure posed a risk to nearby desalination pipes supplying Ibiza Town and the island’s hospital.
Despite efforts to clear the site by 8pm, the court’s suspension order arrived at 2.24pm.
The operation was immediately called off, with residents seen returning to their homes, dragging belongings and children’s items back to the makeshift camp.
The legal battle over Can Rova 2 continues, with a separate civil hearing already scheduled in Ibiza for June 6.
