The singer Pepe Benavente has received a barrage of criticism for asking people to attend the Canary Islands carnival, but not to go in a “patera”, in reference to the migratory crisis that the community is experiencing. Last year alone, the archipelago received 39,910 people who undertook the so-called Canary Route. A figure that is unprecedented.
“It’s amazing, the Canary Islands carnival is the biggest thing we have, I invite everyone to come. But don’t come by boat; come by plane, which is a shame,” he explained in an interview for Televisión Canaria.
It did not take long for criticism to arrive on social networks, accusing the Tenerife singer of lack of tact in the face of this migratory and humanitarian crisis. “I didn’t see this foul by Pepe Benavente coming…”, said an X user (formerly Twitter).
“How many vacation rental apartments do you think Pepe Benavente will have?” asked another. Some claim that this unfortunate comment reinforces the idea they had of the artist: “I have never liked Pepe Benavente.”
“To come by boat you have to be desperate and have a lot of courage. Let him try, let’s see if he can last 24 hours and see if he can get there. Many stay on the road. Get on a boat from Morocco to the Canary Islands, Pepe! And then you tell us,” argued another user of this social network.
The migration crisis that the archipelago is experiencing is far from subsiding. The Canary Islands received 7,270 immigrants in January in 110 boats and canoes, as many as arrived on its coasts during the entire first half of 2023 (7,213 in 150 boats), according to data from the Ministry of the Interior.
This is a figure that is unprecedented for the first month of the year, at least, since the canoe crisis of 2006-2008 and that multiplies by almost 13 the records of 2023, when 566 people arrived in the Canary Islands in 14 boats.
