Ulises and Gloria, the couple fighting to prevent the Government of the Canary Islands from giving up for adoption the child they have been fostering for two years, held a protest this Friday, supported by the child's biological father, friends, and people who "have shown solidarity" with them.
"May minors not be a file", "For the well-being of the minor", read the banners they carried in the protest, which was held in front of the headquarters of the Cabildo's Social Welfare Department, where Ulises and Gloria had been summoned for a meeting by the General Directorate of Child and Family Protection of the Government of the Canary Islands.
"They have told us that the procedure is still ongoing," lamented Ulises, who announced that they are going to do "everything possible to stop the adoption".
In this regard, after Friday's meeting, he announced that they are going to file a lawsuit to stop the process, something he said the child's biological parents have already done. "Because they keep insisting on the adoption, but we want a judge to say so," he said.
What Ulises and his wife want is for them to be given "permanent foster care" of the minor because, in case of adoption, they believe that they will cause a "new traumatic break" to the child, who in addition to having to separate from them after two years, will totally lose contact with his biological parents, with whom he has maintained a relationship during the foster care period. A relationship that Ulises and Gloria affirm that they are willing to maintain if the minor continues with them.
Complaints for slander and malfeasance
For the moment, these parents have already filed this week two complaints in the Courts against the coordinator of the General Directorate of Child and Family Protection, one for slander and another for malfeasance. The latter has also been addressed against the general director of this area and against the Head of the Child Prevention and Protection Program.
In the first of the complaints, Ulises and Gloria state that on October 5, the coordinator of the General Directorate of Child and Family Protection met with them in the morning and with the biological parents in the afternoon, and they affirm that in this last meeting he made "innumerable slanders" against them.
"In that meeting, the defendant made innumerable slanders against our persons, such as that we are wolves in sheep's clothing, that we speak ill of the biological parents, and a long etcetera," they state in the complaint, where they state that they believe that the intention was to "antagonize" them with the biological parents.
Regarding the complaint "for administrative malfeasance", Ulises and Gloria explain in it that last October 7 they requested authorization to travel with the minor to Seville and that it was denied. A denial that they consider occurred "for publicly questioning the attitude of the administration" in the media, and "knowing that it is radically unfair".
"Many people are going through similar cases"
In addition to having received "many supports" from acquaintances, this man affirms that they have also received calls from parents who are in the same situation. In fact, after learning about their story through La Voz, two women from Fuerteventura and La Palma contacted this media to be able to speak with Ulises, affirming that they were going through "the same case".
"Many people are going through similar cases," Ulises pointed out, who indicated that they will create a platform for foster parents "to join forces".
