Last weekend, Bolivian President Evo Morales took a bold step and intervened in defence of hundreds of thousands of illegal Latin American immigrants in Spain.
Speaking at an event attended mainly by Latin Americans, he said his government is pushing Spain to legalise all immigrants in the country. “When the Spanish and Europeans came to America, our forefathers didn’t call them illegal,” he said to a cheering crowd in Leganes, near Madrid.
Curiously, Morales added that Latin Americans “have the right to live in any part of the world” granted that they respect the laws of the country where they find themselves.
His speech is bound to cause offence to the Spanish government, which is struggling to cope with the financial meltdown. Last year, Spain – which has the highest number of immigrants in Europe – offered various financial incentives for immigrants to return to their home countries.
While Metro Éireann does not support this scheme, which has had little success thus far, President Morales’ comment would no doubt further hinder its intended outcome.
There is no doubt that the Bolivian leader’s visit to Spain was a calculated political move aimed at winning the support of Bolivians abroad, who are entitled to vote in the 6 December presidential elections.
He could show a better example by having a positive impact on the lives of thousands of immigrants who are suffering under his own leadership.
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