Migration mafia business puts European authorities on edge
The migration situation in the Canary Islands and other parts of Spain is a complex and multifaceted crisis caused by economic, social and geopolitical factors in West Africa. Almost 230,000 people have reached Europe through the different sea crossings that make up the Atlantic Route since the first patera arrived in Spain in 1994.
The role of the mafias and the economy of desperation
The arrival of irregular immigrants in Europe, specifically in the Canary Islands, continues to increase. With 22,304 illegal immigrants between January and July, the problem of immigration is a growing concern that needs more and more solutions. Behind this tragedy are the mafias. Those private organisations that recruit people who are promised a better life.
The anguish of young people, aggravated by unemployment and an inadequate education system, is seen as a cry of desperation. All the more reason to urge the authorities to comply with their constitutional obligations and international treaties on economic, social and cultural rights. These deadly journeys are the only option for thousands of people seeking a better life.
The expansion of terrorist and violent extremist groups from the Sahel to northern Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin has increased the vulnerability of countries such as Senegal and Mauritania, where these mafias are establishing themselves. These conflicts, coupled with difficult living conditions, are forcing people to migrate. One of the most worrying for European authorities are the more than 200,000 Malians looking for a place to settle.
Despite the authorities' efforts to control immigration, the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean and the coastline make it difficult to stem the flow of migrants. The fight against these organisations is increasingly difficult because of the revenues they receive each month. Taking into account that the average price of a trip to the Canary Islands from the coasts of these countries is 500-700 euros, the mafia collected approximately 13,982,400 euros in July alone.
For example, between 26 and 30 July 2024, Senegalese authorities detained 722 illegal immigrants trying to reach the Canary Islands. However, more than 40,500 migrants would arrive in the Canary Islands in 2023.
Aware of the problem, to increase surveillance of its territory, Senegal used a Falcon 9 rocket to launch a nanosatellite from the Vandenberg base in California, USA. The satellite is designed to monitor Senegal's territory and collect data on economic and environmental services. Nevertheless, mafias continue to exploit the desperation of thousands of people, even as countries of origin, such as Senegal, try to control the situation and address the root causes of migration.
Dangers and challenges on the Atlantic Route
The West African Atlantic Route to the Canary Islands, which peaked in 2006 but stagnated for several years, rebounded in 2020, reaching record numbers of 39,000 in 2023, expected to rise to 70,000 migrants in December, is the most dangerous maritime immigration route in the world with a 26% mortality rate.
The solutions do not only involve the arrival of agreements or better border control, but also a change in immigration policies that have benefited European countries, but have impoverished third countries that acted as stoppers and the African countries from which these people arrive.
With all this on the table, Pedro Sánchez has begun a tour of Mauritania, Gambia and Senegal to deal with the migration crisis affecting the Canary Islands. He will be looking for a solution to a problem that the mafias are aggravating as the days go by.