White smoke, despite some complications during the negotiation. The Ministry of Social Rights has agreed with all the autonomous communities – including those governed by the Popular Party and Vox – the solidarity distribution of 360 unaccompanied foreign minors arriving in the Canary Islands in the midst of the migratory crisis that is plaguing the archipelago.
The agreement, sealed this Wednesday at the Sectoral Conference, is part of the Response Plan to the migratory crisis for migrant minors 2022-2023. The department headed by Ione Belarra has agreed to distribute 20 million euros for the transfer and reception of unaccompanied minors by the autonomous communities.
In total, 396 minors will be distributed. Of them, 36 are currently in Ceuta and 360 in the Canary Islands. It is the archipelago that now bears greater pressure and tension in the system. In the midst of the wave of cayucos coming from Senegal, according to the Canary Islands authorities, there are about 3,000 minors under their guardianship. From the Canary Islands they have asked to increase the amount of the distribution, in addition to making it mandatory and not voluntary as currently.
The regions that will welcome the most minors in their territories, as agreed, are Andalusia (36), Madrid (34), Catalonia (33) and Asturias (32). Melilla, which also has a strained system, will not accept any minors from other regions.
Sources close to the negotiation explain to La Vanguardia that after the changes in regional governments as a result of the elections last May, some conservative regions had shown their reluctance to agree on the distribution.
However, they have all finally given in. It has been agreed by those in which Vox – which has carried out continuous criminalization campaigns against unaccompanied foreign minors – is part of the Government. The Valencian Community and Extramadura will each welcome 25 children and adolescents, Castilla y León will assume guardianship of 23 minors and Aragon another 24.
