The President of the Canary Islands Government, Ángel Víctor Torres, has expressed this Monday his "deep discomfort" at the cancellation of the trip of the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, José Luis Escrivá, who planned to visit the islands on Wednesday to analyze first-hand the increase in the arrival of pateras.
In statements to journalists, he pointed out that there have been "difficulties" in the minister's agenda and probably "powerful reasons" for not traveling, but he has not hidden his disappointment because the current situation of migration in the islands requires an "adequate response."
Therefore, the president has announced that he has already contacted the first vice president of the Government, Carmen Calvo, so that "mechanisms between ministries" are activated to resolve problems in coastal surveillance, reception and repatriation or transit to other places.
Among other things, Torres has asked the State to open military facilities or the CIEs themselves within a maximum period of two months, since the reception in hotel facilities that has been announced in Gran Canaria is "transitional and exceptional."
The president has described the situation as "worrying" and "desperate" and has demanded that the central government launch "a shock plan," insisting on the need for some public accommodations to be opened "immediately."
He stressed that the Government of the Canary Islands, the councils and some municipalities have done their job by ceding spaces to welcome migrants even though it is not their responsibility and understands that tourist accommodations can be used because there is an "emergency," as happened with doctors or abused women during confinement, although it should be "temporarily, because they are designed to accommodate guests."
Finally, the president has rejected the stone attack that a center for migrant minors received this past weekend in Gran Canaria because it "belittles" society, as does sharing hoaxes because they are an "irresponsibility."
