Pope Leo XIV Warns Canary Smugglers to Repent as Arrivals Drop From 47,000
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 12
Pope Leo XIV Warns Canary Smugglers to Repent as Arrivals Drop From 47,000
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 12
Summary
Tenerife was the setting for Leo’s sharpest migration warning yet: he told traffickers to “stop” and “repent,” saying they would face divine justice for deaths, deception and exploitation on routes to Europe.
The pope tied that warning to the Atlantic crossing’s toll, calling migrant shipwrecks “graveyards of the sea” and urging communities to welcome and integrate people fleeing war, poverty and climate change.
The Canary Islands remain a key gateway from West Africa, though arrivals have fallen from nearly 47,000 in 2024 to just over 3,000 in the first five months of 2026.
At Las Raíces camp, Leo met migrants directly, heard testimony from Bousso Diouf and repeated that migrants deserve respect, humanity and the chance to live with dignity.
The two-day Canary visit capped his Spain trip and reinforced his role as Francis’ heir on migration before a July 4 visit to Lampedusa, another symbol of Europe’s migrant crisis.
The Pope demands open arms while Europe builds higher walls. Can his moral authority actually change international migration policy?
How will the first U.S. Pope of African descent leverage his unique background to reshape global migration and justice policies?
Pope Leo XIV threatens traffickers with divine justice. What tangible power can the Vatican wield to dismantle these criminal networks?
25,000 Dead or Missing: Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Visit to the Canary Islands and the Catholic Church’s Response to Spain’s Migration Emergency
Overview
Pope Leo XIV’s historic visit to Arguineguín in the Canary Islands marked the first time a Pontiff traveled to a migration hotspot, highlighting Spain’s deep polarization over migration. His presence drew urgent attention to the humanitarian crisis on the Atlantic route from West Africa, where thousands have died or gone missing—far more than official counts suggest, due to invisible shipwrecks and lack of information. The Pope’s message combined condemnation of systemic failures with compassion for migrants, urging global action and solidarity in the face of immense human suffering and political division.