The Canary Islands, located near the coast of North Africa, are one of the most popular routes for African migrants. According to forecasts, approximately 70 000 undocumented refugees are expected to arrive this year. While most of the ships carrying refugees depart from Morocco and Western Sahara, many refugees arrive in fishing vessels and boats at the port of Los Cristianos in Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands, with the hope of being granted refugee status and continuing their journey.
Migratory pressure is increasing on the islands, with undocumented immigrants flooding Gran Canaria. As a result, law enforcement, public safety, and public healthcare are also under serious threat.
Despite the authorities’ strict measures, the island is nearly at full capacity. Even in the past year, over 30,000 arrivals were recorded, doubling the previous year’s figure. Many of the migrants are minors, and thousands of them are awaiting care on the islands.
Insufficient Accommodation, Infrastructure
The refugee reception system in the Canary Islands is on the brink of collapse due to its inability to accommodate thousands of migrant children. The central government in Spain, which is socialist-led, have made a significant commitment to address the issue, but a solution is still pending. Another significant issue is that the government, under the leadership of Pedro Sánchez, frequently relocates immigrants from one city to another during nighttime without prior notification to the local administrations. This situation generates a significant conflict between the central government, led by the left-wing, and the right-wing regional leaderships at the local level.
The growing tension among local residents is exacerbated by the strain migration places on both them and the infrastructure. Uncertainty about the future and fears of rising crime rates due to the influx of migrants further compound their worries.
Tourism is also at risk, significantly impacted by the substantial influx of migrants, despite being the primary source of income for the Spanish economy up to now.
This also creates tension between the leaderships of the two regions, as the Canary Islands would expect help from the government in Madrid.
A Returning Suggestion: Sponsor the Origin
Nicasio Galván, a member of the Vox party in the Parliament of the Canary Islands and a candidate for the European Parliament elections, criticises the Canary Islands government’s policy as ‘inappropriate’ regarding unaccompanied migrant minors. Regarding this matter, Galván and his party have called on the regional executive body to push the central government and the European Union to focus on aid initiatives in countries of origin, aiming to prevent immigration flows and facilitate the deportation of migrants to third countries. Regarding the issue of immigration, Galván calls for a differentiation between ‘legal and illegal immigration’. He emphasises that those who enter legally ‘are welcome’, as he understands Spain’s need for immigrants.
The influx of migrants to Spain has led to the saturation of social and welfare systems. A critical issue arises from the shortage of professionals, with thousands of doctors and tens of thousands of nurses needed in hospitals and clinics. As a result of the significant shortage of professionals, it is not possible to provide adequate attention to patients anymore. As waiting lists grow across the country, individuals in Catalonia and Valencia already face a wait of approximately a week and a half even for consultations with family doctors or paediatricians, and the situation is equally challenging in Madrid, where the waiting times are also similar.
The Troubling State of Political Leadership
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has recently revealed a plan to allocate 45 billion euros for infrastructure development in Morocco, contrasting starkly with the denial of 38 million euros in funding for ALS patients (ALS, a severe neurological disease known for its high treatment costs, results in an average of three new diagnoses daily in Spain alone). Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced in Rabat, Morocco’s capital, that Spain will provide additional funds for the development of Morocco’s infrastructure. Spanish conservative MP Pepa Millán, who serves as the spokesperson for the Vox party in the Congress of Deputies, has voiced her discontent on social media, stating, ‘The budget does not allocate 38 million euros for ALS patients, while 45 billion euros are designated for financing Morocco.’
In the meantime, Pedro Sánchez found himself amidst a severe domestic political crisis and was already contemplating resignation due to the emergence of corruption charges against his wife, Begoña Gómez. Sánchez ultimately succeeded in garnering public support, and a few days after the scandal surfaced, he declared his decision not to resign; instead, he vowed to carry on leading the government with even greater determination. The majority of those interviewed believed that Sánchez’s announcement of resignation was simply a political manoeuvre, especially considering the upcoming May 12 Catalan elections and the European Parliament elections in June.
The corruption charge was not the first troubling incident for Pedro Sánchez with a more serious impact on his family. Similarly, suspicions arose about Sánchez’s family running a prostitution network, with allegations linking him to the Moroccan underworld.
In light of the corruption allegations, the justice system initiated an investigation into potential collusive ties between the Prime Minister’s spouse and private companies that had benefited from state support or won public-procurement contracts in the past.
Spanish news portal El Confidencial reported that in 2020, the Africa Center educational foundation, associated with Gómez, entered into a sponsorship agreement with Globalia, a tourism company that also owns the Air Europa airline. This is the airline that received a 475-million-euro rescue package from the Spanish government in the same year, when tourism came to a halt for months due to the coronavirus epidemic. In their joint statement, Globalia and Air Europa argued that the support they received from the Spanish government was not disproportionate compared to assistance received by similar companies in Spain and the EU.
Regarding the case, Pedro Sánchez stated, ‘Begoña was reported not for any illegal actions, but simply because she is my wife.’
However, just a day after the lawsuit was filed, the Madrid Regional Prosecutor’s Office requested the court to dismiss the investigation against the prime minister’s wife citing insufficient evidence. Sánchez accused the right-wing press as well as the Popular Party and the far-right Vox of colluding with the Manos Limpias association in an attempt to undermine him. However, the case is far from over; since then, another organisation, the openly far-right and ultra-Catholic group, Hazte Oír (literally, ‘make yourself heard’), lodged another criminal complaint against Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, alleging suspicion of influence peddling.
