The Pope lashes out in Tenerife against the mafias that turn “the suffering of others into a business”

Eduardo González Pope Leo XIV visited Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Friday, the final day of his apostolic journey to Spain. There, he listened to the testimonies of a group of migrants and denounced the human trafficking networks that exploit human suffering for profit. The Pope arrived in Tenerife on Friday morning from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The purpose of his visit to the Canary Islands, the first by a Pope to the archipelago, was to gain firsthand knowledge of the migration crisis, something his predecessor, Francis, attempted but was unable to do. The previous day, Thursday, Leo XIV visited the Arguineguín dock in Gran Canaria, a destination for thousands of people in recent years, accompanied by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The migration component of this final leg of the Pope's trip (which began in Madrid and continued in Barcelona before arriving in the Canary Islands) has been particularly valued by the Government, which has repeatedly highlighted its alignment with Leo XIV on this issue. The Pope himself made an apostolic journey from April 13 to 23 to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, where he addressed, among other topics, the problem of migration. The Pope's day in Tenerife began this Friday with a visit to Las Raíces, the island's largest reception center, which employs 600 workers responsible for meeting the basic needs of food and accommodation for those arriving and providing them with professional support during their stay. The center opened in 2021 and, since then, has assisted more than 54,000 people, according to data from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration. During his visit to Las Raíces, accompanied by the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz, the Pope toured the facilities, learned firsthand about the work carried out at the center, managed by the organization Accem, and visited one of the shelter tents, where he listened to the testimonies of some of the migrants. Afterward, the Pontiff spoke in French, the predominant language of the migrants at the center, affirming that “beyond our place of origin, God’s love knows no borders, makes no distinctions, gives itself to all, and gathers us together in unity.” “We are all, in some way, migrants; we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland,” proclaimed the Bishop of Rome, who invited those present to help one another to “make this journey a more humane experience for everyone, contributing what is within each person’s reach.” Separately, Leo XIV addressed Pope Francis, “who so longed to be with you” and who “liked to use the image of roots to indicate the need to not forget our origins, to remain united, and to trust in the Lord.” The mafias Following this, the Pope, accompanied by the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres, visited the migrant integration center in Plaza del Cristo in La Laguna, where he issued a warning against the mafias that traffic in human beings and turn “the suffering of others into a business.” “To those who prey on desperation, who organize clandestine routes, traffic in people, withhold documents, exploit workers, or threaten vulnerable women, who deceive families and turn the suffering of others into a business: for every life lost, every family deceived, every body subjugated, every woman threatened, every worker exploited, you will have to answer to divine justice,” he proclaimed. “The tears and blood of these brothers and sisters cry out to God, and their suffering reaches Him. Money stolen from the vulnerable poor will bring no peace, no honor, no future,” he declared. “Break those chains and free those under your control, return what you have stolen, and repair all that you can. Return while there is still time, because God’s mercy can reach even the most hardened sinner, but it only enters through the narrow gate of truth, justice, and conversion,” he warned. The Pope also asked Catholics not to be “indifferent to the cemeteries of the sea,” referring to the migrants who drown trying to reach Europe. “Every life lost on these routes is a failure for the human family,” but “there is also a silent shipwreck after arrival: finding oneself alone in a city, without a language, without ties, without work, without trust, and exposed to those who take advantage of vulnerability,” he warned. “Integration means avoiding this second shipwreck; it means helping those who arrived wounded so that they are not trapped forever in their pain, but can recover, recognize their gifts, and offer them to the community,” he added.

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