Undeterred by Coronavirus Pandemic, Migrants Head to Spain’s Canary Islands

Standing outside a holiday complex of bungalows at Maspalomas beach, an AFP correspondent could see migrants waving from the windows.

But at the shelters for minors, the youngsters can go out for a walk, although like everyone else in Spain, they must wear a mask.

Read also: Coronavirus Cases in Spain Surpass 400,000 as Virus Transmission Increases

In Telde, 20 kilometers south of Las Palmas, a group of them gather in a local park, laughing and joking as they dance to the beat of an African tune.

For Dipa Niagate, a 17-year-old Malian who arrived in December, Spain's three-month lockdown imposed in March "was very difficult".

Aside from their Spanish classes, the youngsters had little to do other than play video games, "play together or watch television", he said.

For those who landed during the lockdown, it was months before they got their first glimpse of the island, says Juan Enrique Quintana, who runs the site for a local NGO.

"They would tell me: 'I'm not even sure how long I've been here and I still haven't seen Spain'," he told AFP. 

(Writer: Diego Urdaneta)

Source: http://u.afp.com/3RS3