Canary Islands public broadcaster ignores mass protest against illegal immigration
Thousands protest against illegal immigration in the Canary Islands, Spain, and RTVC ignores it. The Sánchez Plan and its promised 250,000 jobs act as a pull factor.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Canary Islands public broadcaster ignores mass protest against illegal immigration
The Canary Islands' public broadcaster aired not a single image of the October 27 demonstration against illegal immigration. Thousands of people took to the streets in the two capitals, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas, but the official channel chose silence. The omission is no accident: it coincides with an explosive rise in dinghy arrivals and with a shift in Sánchez government migration policy that many Canary Islanders consider harmful to their interests.
A massive protest erased from the media map
Footage circulating on social media shows thousands of citizens gathered, but RTVC did not broadcast it. The decision contrasts with the usual coverage given to other demonstrations. Attendees denounced that the central government has allocated more than 500 million euros to the migrants' countries of origin, while the Canary Islands receive 30 times more people than arrive from those same regions. A Segarro NGO has even called at the United Nations for the "decolonization" of the archipelago, adding a geopolitical layer to the debate.
The "Sánchez Plan" as a pull factor
The controversy intensifies with the release of the so-called "Sánchez Plan": the announcement of 250,000 jobs for irregular migrants which, according to judicial sources, the mafias are using to encourage crossings. "If you arrive before 2025, you get a job" is the slogan circulating among traffickers. The government's promise has become a sales pitch that is driving departures from the African coast. Meanwhile, the pressure on Canary Islands public services —healthcare, education, housing— has reached unsustainable levels.
Selective outrage or disguised censorship?
RTVC's lack of coverage is not an isolated incident. Several analysts point out that regional public media tend to align with the regional government's narrative, which in turn depends on state funding. In this case, silencing the protest avoids confronting Canary Islands voters with the real cost of migration policy. But the strategy may backfire: the thousands of demonstrators do not need television to know they are being ignored.
An archipelago at the crossroads
The Canary Islands are Europe's southern border and bear a disproportionate share of illegal immigration. The October 27 protest reflects growing discontent that, if left unaddressed, could translate into a significant electoral shift. The question is whether the central government will change course or, on the contrary, keep betting on a model that, judging by the data, multiplies the pressure on the islands. Meanwhile, the silence of the public media is consolidating as yet another political weapon.
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The Canary Islands' public broadcaster aired not a single image of the October 27 demonstration against illegal immigration. Thousands of people took to the streets in the two capitals, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas, but the official channel chose silence. The omission is no accident: it coincides with an explosive rise in dinghy arrivals and with a shift in Sánchez government migration policy that many Canary Islanders consider harmful to their interests.
A massive protest erased from the media map
Footage circulating on social media shows thousands of citizens gathered, but RTVC did not broadcast it. The decision contrasts with the usual coverage given to other demonstrations. Attendees denounced that the central government has allocated more than 500 million euros to the migrants' countries of origin, while the Canary Islands receive 30 times more people than arrive from those same regions. A Segarro NGO has even called at the United Nations for the "decolonization" of the archipelago, adding a geopolitical layer to the debate.
The "Sánchez Plan" as a pull factor
The controversy intensifies with the release of the so-called "Sánchez Plan": the announcement of 250,000 jobs for irregular migrants which, according to judicial sources, the mafias are using to encourage crossings. "If you arrive before 2025, you get a job" is the slogan circulating among traffickers. The government's promise has become a sales pitch that is driving departures from the African coast. Meanwhile, the pressure on Canary Islands public services —healthcare, education, housing— has reached unsustainable levels.
Selective outrage or disguised censorship?
RTVC's lack of coverage is not an isolated incident. Several analysts point out that regional public media tend to align with the regional government's narrative, which in turn depends on state funding. In this case, silencing the protest avoids confronting Canary Islands voters with the real cost of migration policy. But the strategy may backfire: the thousands of demonstrators do not need television to know they are being ignored.
An archipelago at the crossroads
The Canary Islands are Europe's southern border and bear a disproportionate share of illegal immigration. The October 27 protest reflects growing discontent that, if left unaddressed, could translate into a significant electoral shift. The question is whether the central government will change course or, on the contrary, keep betting on a model that, judging by the data, multiplies the pressure on the islands. Meanwhile, the silence of the public media is consolidating as yet another political weapon.
Most shared
Related debates in the forum
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (23 replies).
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