The Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, has once again opted for a "different" migratory policy, such as the one applied by Spain, and has highlighted the work of Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario and the Aita Mari, which, as she pointed out, are "rising to the occasion" with their solidarity work in support of migrants.
Rego made these statements at the Port of Bilbao, in Santurtzi (Vizcaya), where she traveled this Thursday to meet with the association Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario (SMH) aboard the rescue ship Aita Mari.
The minister went to bid farewell to the crew of the Aita Mari, which will set sail for the central Mediterranean in a few days, and took advantage of the visit to hold a meeting with the crew and the Board of Directors of SMH.
During her speech, she highlighted the "fundamental work" being carried out by civil society on migration issues, in an international context where, in her opinion, migration policies are being promoted that she has expressly rejected.
At this point, she alluded to what is happening in the US with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or to the "lamentable" vote in the European Parliament to pass a regulation for the deportation of children.
In contrast, she highlighted the measures being developed by the Spanish State as "a country and as a government," recalling the recent regularization of more than one million migrants, as well as the reception policy linked to the reform of article 35 of the Foreigners Law, which regulates the reception process for unaccompanied migrant children.
Rego emphasized the role of civil society and remarked that Spain is the only European country with a civil and public rescue unit like Salvamento Marítimo. "It is a public service of the Spanish government, it is very important," she stressed.
She also acknowledged the work of organizations such as SMH and the Aita Mari, which "go out to bring solidarity to the Central Mediterranean and other parts of the world."
"I think it is important to value it, a country that is solidary and a country that positions itself differently with migratory policy. It is very important in these times, therefore, that there are ways of doing politics from another place and that there is an organized civil society that rises to the occasion, as is happening with the friends of the Aita Mari. From the government, we recognize this work and support these initiatives," she concluded.
HUMANITARIAN MARITIME RESCUE
For her part, the vice-president and head of human resources, gender, and education at Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario, Amaia Iguarán, has detailed that they are at the Port of Bilbao ready to begin what will be the 19th mission and has expressed her confidence that everything "will go well" so they can set sail in the coming days.
She specified that their work focuses on the central Mediterranean area because "the ones who should be there, the states, are not." Along these lines, she stated that as long as the human rights of all people continue to be violated, "SMH Aita Mari will be there where needed."
Iguarán has warned that the new European migration pact will "block" the departure of those who leave their countries due to conflicts or various forms of violence, but she stressed that this will not prevent them from continuing to leave, but rather "they will keep leaving and will take longer and more dangerous routes." Therefore, the organization calls for "legal and safe pathways."
"And in the meantime, let them criminalize us, which they are already doing, let them put up whatever barricades they need to, we will certainly be there. We will be at sea, we will be in Euskal Herria, we will be in the State, and we will be wherever necessary denouncing migratory policies and denouncing the hoaxes and racist and xenophobic messages that unfortunately are taking root in this society," she added.
Finally, she wanted to emphasize that, contrary to the image of a youth aligned with the far-right, there is a large number of young people who support them, who are supportive and are "in favor of social justice." "And together, we will certainly achieve it," she concluded.