Pope Leo XIV condemns migrant smugglers during Canary Islands visit

Pope Leo XIV toured the Spanish Canary Islands, meeting migrants and aid workers in Gran Canaria’s Arguineguín harbour. He placed a wreath of flowers in the sea and blessed a cross made from smuggler boat timber, calling for safe, legal migration routes and urging rescue and cooperation against traffickers. The pontiff highlighted the humanitarian crisis, noting that at the peak of 2024 nearly 50,000 irregular migrants arrived on the islands, with many losing their lives on the Atlantic crossing.

On Tenerife, Leo repeated his criticism of smugglers and human‑trafficking networks, demanding they cease exploiting desperate people. He stressed integration as a two‑way process, urging host societies to welcome newcomers while preserving cultural identity. The visit concluded the Pope’s multi‑day trip to Spain, following stops in Madrid and Barcelona, before his return to Rome.