The full Parliament of the Canary Islands has unanimously approved a proposal this Wednesday to increase the human, material, and technological resources dedicated to aeronaval surveillance in the Archipelago. The initiative foresees the coordinated action of the Civil Guard, National Police, Armed Forces resources, and Frontex in order to respond to the consequences of irregular migration in the islands.
The proposal, presented as a Non-Law Proposal (PNL) by the Popular Party, aims to respond to the increase in irregular immigration through the Atlantic route. The text proposes to recover the operation "Noble Centinela," deployed in 2006, as a tool to combat the mafias dedicated to human trafficking.
During the debate, Jacob Qadri (PP) emphasized that the Canary Islands "is not only the border of Spain, but also the southern border of Europe," so "protecting that border, ensuring security, saving human lives" are obligations that, in his opinion, fall to the State and the European Union, to whom he demands "more action."
Qadri warned that "the response cannot be limited to acting only when a cayuco appears off our coasts" and recalled that if Spain "was able to organize a strong military response, with national and European resources in the face of a crisis situation --referring to the state operation 'Noble Centinela'-- why does the government of Pedro Sánchez now refuse to do so with a situation that is the same or worse?".
Six measures to strengthen the State's response
The PNL of the Popular Party includes six specific actions that have been fully supported. Among them, it includes strengthening aeronaval surveillance through the joint action of the Civil Guard, National Police, military resources, and Frontex, with the aim of improving control in the Canary maritime environment.
Secondly, the State is urged to intensify cooperation with the countries of origin and transit of migration, while the third measure aims to improve identification procedures, humanitarian assistance, reception, and referral mechanisms for the people arriving in the islands.
Qadri insisted that "the people who arrive at our shores must of course receive the attention that follows the law, but that responsibility cannot fall on the islands. We have eaten the immigration problem alone, abandoned by the resources of the State," and demanded effective tools to expedite return resolutions with guarantees, as well as "sufficient" funding to face the migratory pressure.
Vox requested to vote separately on points 4 and 6 of the PNL, on which it ultimately distanced itself with its vote against regarding the improvement of economic and reception resources. Paula Jover argued that, although the initiative is "more necessary than ever, it remains lukewarm, and in some cases ambiguous, and even erroneous."
According to the deputy, "the Canarians do not want the reception devices to be improved, as proposed in the initiative, nor do they want more resources to be mobilized to face the costs of illegal immigration. We want to hear the words deportation, re-emigration, and also repatriation."
Support and nuances from the different groups
ASG and CC joined in supporting the PNL. Ramos Chinea (ASG) highlighted that the text speaks "of responsibilities and competencies where the State and Europe have a fundamental role." In the same line, Jana María González (CC) positively valued a proposal that demands "dignity, humanity in migration, resources so necessary to be able to attend in a dignified manner" to those who arrive at the Canary shores.
From NC-BC, Carmen Hernández expressed her surprise at "sharing" an initiative promoted by a PP that, at the same time, "closes alliances in different communities with Vox." Nevertheless, she supported the content of the text considering it necessary to reinforce migration policy and reiterated the "commitment" that both the State and European institutions must assume.
PSOE defends the management of the central Government
The socialist deputy Elena Máñez defended the actions of Pedro Sánchez's Executive, assuring that "it is working" on this matter. She pointed out that currently "there is coordination, presence of Security Forces and Bodies in the countries of origin and, moreover, it addresses, in terms of intelligence, the fight against the mafias," an approach that, she recalled, is supported by the experience of "Noble Centinela."
Máñez highlighted that "the arrival of people has decreased by 77% since 2024. Between January and September, 30,000 people arrived in 2024 and right now there are 7,100. A 77% decrease in arrivals, and this was also related to all the deployment promoted by the current central Government in Africa, as well as through visits to Mauritania, Gambia, Senegal, and the creation of the Africa Advances Alliance."
Final agreements of the Canary Parliament
The Parliament of the Canary Islands unanimously decided to urge the State to reinforce the human, material, and technological resources allocated to the control of the external borders in the islands. Likewise, it calls for intensifying cooperation with the countries of origin and transit to curb irregular departures and dismantle the networks dedicated to human trafficking.
The Chamber also agreed to request the reinforcement of state resources allocated to the identification, care, and transfer of people who arrive irregularly in the Canary Islands, in addition to improving the return mechanisms for those who do not have the right to remain in Spain, always in accordance with current regulations.
With the vote against Vox on the points related to reception, the regional Parliament demanded that the State increase the capacity of the state reception and transfer devices, as well as guarantee sufficient funds to cover the extraordinary costs that migration pressure generates on the Archipelago.