Pope criticises world’s indifference to migrants while visiting ‘dock of shame’
Pope Leo XIV visited the Canary Islands' Arguineguin port, once called the 'dock of shame' due to migrant squalor, to condemn global indifference and urge nations to uphold migrants' rights during a week-long trip to Spain. He highlighted the Atlantic route’s deadly conditions, referenced the 2020 crisis where migrants lived in open-air camps, and called on Europe to address the 'globalisation of indifference' while omitting border control defenses in his speech.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Arguineguin, a Canary Islands port previously dubbed the 'dock of shame' for its 2020 migrant crisis, where thousands endured months in squalid conditions without basic needs. Speaking to migrants and rescue workers, Leo condemned global indifference, stating 'human dignity has no passport' and urging Europe to confront its role in turning the Atlantic into 'unmarked graves.' He referenced Pope Francis’ 2013 gesture in Sicily and directly addressed trafficked women, affirming their 'inestimable worth' despite exploitation. The Canary Islands remain a critical entry point for West African migrants, with arrivals peaking at nearly 47,000 in 2024 before plummeting to 3,000 in early 2026 due to EU-Spain deals with West African governments. Leo’s visit fulfills Pope Francis’ wish to commemorate the thousands lost at sea, emphasizing the Atlantic route’s deadliness compared to Mediterranean smuggling paths. He urged origin countries to stabilize conditions and transit nations to protect migrants from smugglers, while renaming the port ‘Dock of Hope’ with a symbolic banner. During his speech, Leo omitted references to national border controls, a shift from past statements, and declared Christians cannot ignore migrants’ plight. He listened to a Nigerian trafficking survivor and threw flowers into the sea, mirroring Francis’ 2013 act. The port’s 2020 crisis saw migrants held beyond legal limits in open-air camps, later relocated to Covid-vacated hotels after ombudsman intervention. Leo’s address, dedicated entirely to migration, framed dignity as universal and condemned Europe’s 'globalisation of indifference' to suffering.
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