The Government delegate in the Balearic Islands, Alfonso Rodríguez, has stated that the central government cannot confirm the figures released by the organization Caminando Fronteras on the migratory route between North Africa and the Balearic Islands, although he has assured that he respects them. However, he has corroborated the death of 63 people on this route during 2025.
Rodriguez has been pronounced in these terms during the press conference of balance of the year 2025, after being asked about the data of the NGO, which on Monday estimated that 1,037 people would have lost their lives trying to reach the Balearic coasts so far this year.
Initially, the delegate has cited the report of Caminando Fronteras, but has specified that the Government cannot offer a total number of victims, beyond the bodies located in Balearic waters, since it is unknown how many boats actually depart from Algeria. In this regard, he explained that in many cases the emergency services receive warnings days after the departure of the boats, through relatives or acquaintances, at which time the search devices are activated.
These operations involve Maritime Rescue, the Civil Guard and Frontex, whose intervention in the area is maintained since February this year, as stressed Rodriguez. Despite the difficulties to quantify the phenomenon, the delegate has described migration as a “drama in which many lives are lost”, driven by mafias that must be fought and starring people looking for a decent future that they do not find in countries like Sudan, Somalia or Mali.
Increased arrivals and vulnerable profiles
During his speech, Rodriguez stressed that in 2025 migrant arrivals to the Balearic Islands have increased by 24.5% compared to 2024, to around 7,300 people, with a significant increase in vulnerable profiles. This situation led to the declaration of emergency by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.
The delegate also wanted to refute the idea that the Balearic Islands is the main entry point for migrants to Spain and Europe, providing comparative data. Thus, he pointed out that in the Canary Islands the number of migrants would have exceeded 17,500 this year, in Italy 63,000 and in Crete 18,000.
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Reinforcement of resources and infrastructure
Rodriguez has detailed that in 2025 the Government approved an investment of 6.7 million euros for new reception facilities for people in transit in the ports of Palma and Ibiza, as well as for the police custody module of La Savina, in Formentera. In addition to these actions, there will be reinforcements in police and Maritime Rescue personnel.
Among the measures adopted, he highlighted the incorporation of the ocean patrol boat ‘Duque de Ahumada’, the largest and most advanced in the history of the Guardia Civil, designed for maritime surveillance, the fight against drug trafficking and rescue on the high seas. He also mentioned an urgent investment of 3.3 million euros from the Ministry of the Interior to improve surveillance and detection systems.
The delegate has valued the “intense and professional” work of the State Security Forces and Corps, Maritime Rescue, Red Cross and all the institutions involved, stressing that their work has allowed to comply with the law and ensure dignified treatment of migrants. In this context, Interior has decided to extend until the end of October the seasonal reinforcement of Civil Guard and National Police in the Balearic Islands.
Therefore, Rodriguez insisted that “it cannot be said” that the Government has abandoned the Balearic Islands in the face of the migratory challenge.
International cooperation and child care
Asked about the possible impact of the recent visit of the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, to Algeria, the delegate pointed out that migration is a “fickle” phenomenon and conditioned by multiple factors, so he ruled out a direct relationship between this trip and the reduction of arrivals. However, he expressed his confidence that the negotiations will improve cooperation to combat mafias and move towards a “circular and safe” migration .
Finally, Rodriguez referred to the declaration of project of autonomic interest of the remodeling of the old barracks of Son Tous, destined to the reception of migrant minors. He recalled that the central government has provided nearly seven million euros for this purpose and expressed his wish that the future facilities will be “dignified, long-term and with the capacity for social and educational integration” for minors.
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