Crisis in the Canary Islands. State of emergency in El Hierro following the influx of migrants

A record wave of migration and a state of emergency

Just over one weekend, 1,300 migrants arrived on the Canary Islands archipelago of El Hierro, including 600 on Sunday alone. According to the EFE agency, about 6,000 people have reached the Canary Islands since the beginning of November, including women and children. El Hierro, with only about 11,500 inhabitants, is struggling with the challenge of providing accommodation and care for the newcomers.

The island's authorities, unable to cope with the growing number of people, declared a state of emergency on Saturday. According to local statistics, over 3,300 migrants reached El Hierro in the last week alone.

The president of the local authorities, Alpidio Armas, does not hide his concern:

“We are very concerned about this surge in arrivals.”

Logistics paralysis and evacuation to Tenerife

The influx of migrants causes serious organizational difficulties for local authorities. The local government emphasizes that it is unable to provide appropriate accommodation conditions for all arrivals. In order to provide medical services to migrants, it was necessary to bring in personnel from other islands in the archipelago. The situation is absolutely unsustainable, emphasizes Fernanda Clavijo from the authorities of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands.

After registration, migrants go to reception centers where they undergo further procedures. If the facilities on site are overcrowded, these people are directed to other centers on the islands or to the Iberian Peninsula. Additionally, since Monday, migrants have been transported from El Hierro to Tenerife using two special ferry connections.

Political dispute in the shadow of the upcoming elections

The migration crisis in the Canary Islands has sparked a lively political debate in Spain, especially in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for November 29. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been subjected to sharp criticism from the opposition, both from the leader of the right-wing populist Vox party, Santiago Abascal, and the head of the conservative People's Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo.

Feijoo, referring to the government's actions, stated:

"We need to prevent the problem, not distribute it throughout Spain and export it to Europe."

The leader of the People's Party emphasized that the Canary Islands need "a serious government that will be able to close the border and start a debate with the Spaniards about who enters our country, for what purposes and under what conditions."

Abascal, in turn, accused the prime minister of using the army to deploy migrants throughout the country, when - in his opinion - the army should have previously prevented the migration crisis in Ceuta and helped during the floods in Valencia.

The Vox leader commented sharply on the situation, writing:

"Stop the invasion. Stop the betrayal."

In response to the worsening crisis, a meeting of the interministerial commission on immigration is scheduled for Tuesday at the headquarters of the Spanish government in Madrid. The meeting will be attended by, among others: the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, and the president of the council of the island of El Hierro, Alpidio Armas. Local authorities are calling for immediate help and support to resolve the crisis.

Migration statistics and new, more dangerous routes

For years, the Canary Islands have been one of the main transit points for migrants trying to get to Europe from northwest Africa. According to data from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, from January to October this year, over 13,300 people reached Spain by sea, which means a decrease of 5.5 percent compared to the same period last year. However, in 2024 alone, a record number of 46,000 migrants entered the country via this route.