The bishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands, José Mazuelos, has appealed to the international community and Europe to provide a solution to the migration problem affecting the archipelago and has asked that it not be used "to seek votes, do easy politics or seek political polarization" and to "sow fear."
In the homily he offered on the occasion of the festivity of the Virgen del Pino, patron saint of Gran Canaria, Mazuelos once again took advantage of this day to demand "political solidarity" and to point out that "the Canary Islands cannot and should not bear this reality alone" and that we must fight to ensure that the Atlantic ceases to be "a cemetery."
He recalled that more than 10,000 lives were lost in 2024 on the Canary Route and the latest tragedy occurred in Mauritanian waters last August, when a canoe with more than 147 people, including women and children, sank.
Mazuelos has asked "the rulers, Europe and the international community to assume their share of responsibility and that no one turns this tragedy into a forgotten issue. The people of the Canary Islands, especially on the most affected islands, need resources to be able to respond without feeling overwhelmed."
Demands a social response and "shared responsibility"
The reality of migration requires a social response in which "humanity, shared responsibility, justice and long-term solutions reign, not just emergency patches," remarked Bishop Mazuelos, who considered it necessary to "invest in infrastructure, public services and coexistence programs that favor integration and social cohesion."
In addition, he emphasized the need for "real international cooperation" so that people are not forced to migrate due to hunger, wars or lack of a future, and in the fight against the mafias that favor illegal migration.
Territories ravaged by war
Likewise, he said that we cannot "ignore the suffering of people who have had to abandon their lands because of the war and the devastation of their natural wealth by unscrupulous multinationals."
Mazuelos pointed out that it is necessary to "put aside ideologies and raise our voices in Europe to grow a policy of service in search of the common good, which involves respect for the dignity of all human beings" and, like Pope Leo XIV, has asked for peace in the places of the world in conflict, but especially for those that affect Gaza and Ukraine.