Torres, "concerned" about what happened in Ceuta: fears that the crisis with Morocco will reactivate the arrival of boats

The President of the Canary Islands hopes that the situation will be resolved "immediately" because "it is not good to have conflicts with border countries"

May 19 2021 (10:50 WEST)
Updated in May 19 2021 (11:57 WEST)
Image of the scenes lived in Ceuta, with hundreds of people crossing from Morocco
Image of the scenes lived in Ceuta, with hundreds of people crossing from Morocco

 

The President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has pointed out that what is happening in Ceuta, with the massive arrival of immigrants, is "different" from what has happened in the archipelago months ago, because now it is "facing a confrontation between countries." In addition, he has admitted that he is "concerned" about this crisis with Morocco and fears that the arrival of boats to the archipelago may be reactivated as a result of this situation.

"I believe that what happened yesterday and the day before yesterday in Ceuta is different, we are facing a confrontation between countries. It is true that there are elements of irregular immigration, but here there has been a consented act and, therefore, I am concerned, I have to admit, because we must restore diplomatic relations between countries that are border countries," Torres added.

In this sense, he added that Morocco has a "fundamental role in the control of fundamentalism", hence he has advocated having the best relationship with all the countries that are close to Spain, "especially with those with whom we are living geographically."

Torres has expressed his confidence that this situation can be reversed and will not have consequences in the archipelago, although he has acknowledged his fear that the arrival of boats from Moroccan lands will increase in view of the attitude adopted by the government of that country. In relation to this, he indicated that this Tuesday he was talking with the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, as well as with the Government Delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, and with the Mayor-President of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas Lara.

Therefore, he pointed out that he hopes that "this can be restored immediately" and that in the next few hours there will be "reassuring messages, because it is not good, in any case", to have conflicts between border countries.

Finally, in relation to the fact that the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, did not travel to the Canary Islands when there was a massive arrival of immigrants to the coasts of the archipelago, as he has done in Ceuta, he stated that "he did not come those days", although he defended that "there has not been any legislature" that in a year and a half has had "more presences of ministers" in the islands as the current one, in which he pointed out that the president himself has also been on an official visit.

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