Every year, millions of people are forced to move from their country of origin or their usual place of residence. Hunger, wars, dictatorial governments or simply the hope of finding a better future are the reasons that mostly move large migratory flows towards the Canary Islands. What for us and for many is a human drama, others see it as an opportunity to gain political profit through populism, data falsification and, what is more serious, incitement to hatred.
Each person has a story, a life, a family that they leave behind out of desperation to find a better future for them all. Probably, almost no one leaves behind their place of origin, their culture and their life if the living conditions were minimal to live. Every week, a percentage of all of them stay halfway, in a large cemetery full of corpses that do not even have a name and to which their families cannot even say goodbye as any human being deserves.
The issue of immigration is very hot in each of the political bodies. And I am not trying to downplay it, because in the current context of crisis that we are experiencing today, this phenomenon has experienced a great rebound on the Canary coasts during the last months. And that is where the institutions must work together with all the resources at their disposal to alleviate the saturation of migrants that the Canary Islands is suffering at the moment.
We will all agree that this situation requires joint measures to deal with this great migratory rebound, but it is a sensitive enough issue to seek confrontation with it. And that is what the extreme right is working on, with hoaxes, falsifying data and magnifying any event that may occur in society. If there is one thing that is clear, it is that crime does not understand nationalities.
Spain receives funds every year from the European Union destined to the reception of immigrants according to the volume of people received. It is not worth saying that "it costs us all money", although some parties say it knowing that they are lying and that the attention of these people does not cost Spaniards a euro. Of course, this is the only way they have to reach power using a civil war and populist language, even though it awakens old ghosts of the past for most of us.
It is obvious that in the current situation measures are urgently needed to offer other alternatives that allow to decongest the situation in the islands, but if there is something we can avoid is that the virus of racism and intolerance spreads. Let's not forget that the Canarian people were also emigrants to look for better life options and has served to create cultural ties with Latin American countries. Something not very far away, but that some often forget.
Today it is them, tomorrow it could be us, so let's continue using the best vaccine against the extreme right and its arguments: solidarity, empathy, respect and equality. Although they want to see that with their ideas about immigration they represent a large part of the Canarian people, let's not forget that in the last elections they did not get representation in the islands. The Canary Islands has always been an example against intolerance, racism and discrimination. In short, a society where we all fit, because drama and despair are not a game.
José Alfredo Mendoza Camacho, spokesperson for the PSOE, first deputy mayor and councilor for Festivities, Culture and Local Police in the Arrecife City Council.