Now that La Graciosa has been declared the eighth island, it is convenient not to forget that traditionally Venezuela was, an eighth island that received thousands of Canarians, many of whom settled there decades ago. Spaniards who emigrated seeking a better future, who with much effort and sacrifice made a place for themselves in that land working hard and, currently, like the vast majority of Venezuelans, are going through hardships, suffering difficult situations of personal security, lacking food or medicine, finding themselves in total helplessness by the country that has given them everything.
Canarians and Spaniards who in times of poverty here went there, and who in many cases were able to send part of their savings to help their families in the Canary Islands or in the Peninsula. Therefore, it is fair that they are now attended to and helped, given that they are going through many and serious difficulties. They, without a doubt, must be opened the doors and given the necessary economic and bureaucratic facilities if they decide to return, and also help them in case they decide to continue in Venezuela.
The Government of Spain, has launched a message to all sub-Saharan immigrants of open doors and abundant resources when they arrive here, but has not yet been clear and forceful in its primary obligation to assist Spaniards in difficulties in Venezuela, among whom are thousands of Canarians. Commitment that we certainly also expect from the Canary Islands Government.
Chávez and Maduro have served to sink a rich economy with abundant resources such as the Venezuelan one, to end the dream and sacrifice of so many Canarians, in addition to impoverishing all Venezuelans, although before, yes, they supplied abundant economic funds, resources and oil to countries close in political ideology, and similar regimes, such as Cuba or Nicaragua that are also currently going through serious problems. In addition, the then abundant Venezuelan economy helped to create, for example, a political party in Spain, and even enriched some Spanish politicians with talks, theses, advice...; the tic tac that they said so much has started, but not so much for Spain as for Venezuela.
Venezuela should serve as an example of what we should avoid here. If our politicians aim at demagoguery and populism, rather than good management of resources, responsibility and future needs, we will be in a bad way. For now, some seem to be dedicating too much time, effort and resources to Franco, the Civil War or the Valley of the Fallen, and others intend to confront each other with yellow ribbons as a sign of invented or outdated national identities. If we continue like this, inevitably, we will not be so far from Venezuela.
Let's hope that all these excesses are corrected in time, that politicians stand out for good management, for brilliance, not for inventing conflicts, deceiving and misusing public resources. It is a bad sign, I regret to say, that the new leaders of PSOE and PP have never worked outside their political parties, not even managing a small City Council. It is very disappointing that the current President of the Government of Spain, after so much fighting to remove his predecessor and create certain expectations, in just three months in power, is wasting time and his credibility as the highest leader of the country. In his first month governing he proposed to attract at any price and in any way all sub-Saharans here; his second month, and still newly arrived in his position, he took it on vacation, despite the fact that the country had and has serious problems to solve; and now, apparently, he has gone to fix Bolivia or Colombia, but curiously he has not spoken clearly and forcefully about Venezuela and its situation.
Let's hope that the President of the Government can reverse this bad start. It would not be bad to start already focusing on helping the eighth island, especially and urgently to the Spaniards and Canarians who are going through serious difficulties and hardships in Venezuela.
By Manuel Cabrera Cabrera
