Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 27th January (Europa Press) –
The president of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, stated this Monday that it is a “comfort” that Pope Francis “keeps in mind” the migration crisis affecting the Canary Islands and has retained his desire to visit the archipelago.
In comments made to journalists following his attendance at the ‘Dialogues to take the Canarian company beyond’ organised by the Iberian press and the Grant Thornton 2024 group, he emphasised the importance of “working” on this matter through the Government of Spain, given that it would be a “state” visit.
“For us, just the fact that they remember the Canary Islands is a significant support amidst the situation we are experiencing,” he remarked, highlighting that a cayuco containing decomposed bodies was recently discovered on the coasts of Trinidad, presumably having departed from Africa to the Canary Islands but lost along the way.
According to Clavijo, “this is a sheer madness that we must collectively strive to halt”, indicating that a potential visit from the Pope would provide “decisive support for many to start looking towards this side of the Atlantic.”
Regarding the Extraordinary Distribution Decree for unaccompanied migrant minors, he noted that another technical meeting took place on Friday and there is an interministerial meeting scheduled for Tuesday, during which all the work surrounding the draft will be discussed.
Following that, he mentioned that the Government will need to establish financial and distribution criteria and begin collaborating with parliamentary groups in the early days of February.
