Farouk Pino: "Migrants forget they have rights out of fear"

PalmAlthough he arrived in Mallorca from Bolivia, Farouk Pino and his wife, Claudia Andrade, have held Spanish nationality for a decade. Pino has been at the helm of Bolivia Centro Social for 15 years, an organization through which he has built networks with associations and individuals of diverse backgrounds living in the Balearic Islands. Concerned about the rise of the far right, this activist makes his voice heard in Palma City Council meetings, where he denounces the policies of Vox and the PP.

How did your activism in defense of migrants' rights begin?

— It was because of the problems with the Immigration Department. Appointments started to get overwhelmed, and many associations had been working independently until then. We joined forces and created the Immigration Platform, made up of 22 associations and around ten years old. We work horizontally, in groups and without positions, and we divide the tasks among ourselves. Since then, we have fought for the rights of migrants.

What are the main difficulties today in regularizing your administrative situation?

— The system is overwhelmed. Some cases have been waiting for a response for three or four years, and many end up in administrative silence. They tell us there's no staff, but then you see that thousands of people from Ukraine, for example, can have their status regularized in two weeks. Furthermore, the administration forced people to use lawyers and social workers because they were the only ones who could receive electronic notifications. They charged between 600 and 700 euros per procedure, which is unaffordable for many families. I've met migrants who have been unable to regularize their status for over 20 years, for example. That's why it was important to allow migrant associations to submit documentation to the Immigration Office [the measure was implemented when Aina Calvo was the Spanish government's delegate]. Now, we've estimated, through the consulates, that there are between 7,000 and 8,000 undocumented people in the Balearic Islands.

What does the announcement of mass regularization by the Spanish government mean?

— There's been a lot of joy, and everyone's started taking action. But we need to see some concrete results. They said they'll regularize the status of half a million people, but the public administration system isn't working, with some files stalled and others unanswered. What will they do with 500,000? We're working with the Bolivian Consulate to request people's criminal records. Even so, it's not easy for a fellow countryman to come forward and say, "We're undocumented."

Are you worried about the political situation?

— Very much so, and I've made this clear in the circles I move in. We must create a cordon sanitaire against extremist ideologies. Vox presented a shameful initiative in the Palma City Council [against the regularization of migrants] and it was based on lies, without any official data. They contradict themselves: they accuse migrants of taking aid and also of taking jobs away from Spaniards. You can't receive benefits if you're undocumented. We were like that for a while, and if you don't work every day, you don't eat.

How long were you undocumented? What was it like?

— We were there for four years. [Claudia Andrade joins the conversation] The problem is that, when you're undocumented, you can't say no. You take any job for whatever money it takes.

Have you suffered from labor exploitation?

— Of course. You accept everything because you're undocumented. This hurts the job market in general. I studied Computer Science and Law. When the Data Protection Act was first introduced, I developed projects to implement for companies, and I did it for 600 euros a month, for example.

Are you noticing an increase in racist ideas?

— Of course. Vox presents fascist ideas as if they were a panacea. They talk about indoctrination in schools when it comes to diversity and multiculturalism, but they are the ones doing the indoctrinating. And many young people are dazzled by all this. For my part, I have demanded serious data from Vox regarding the fact that immigration harms the country. However, I would ask anyone who talks to me about the theory of the great replacement to show me their family tree. These people attack immigration and poor minorities, but when people come from Kuwait and Qatar to buy houses or on yachts, they say nothing and don't demand that their women remove their veils.

What should be done to improve the situation?

— We need to mobilize, to take to the streets. If I lie or don't do my job, I'm out. Public officials are our employees, and they deceive us. We have every right to remove them. If we earn €1,000 a month, why should a room cost 50% of our salaries? This is because they applaud like seals the people who come to make money in the real estate sector. They don't see the reality of the people who live here and they reward speculators with tax breaks.

Vox is a predominantly anti-Muslim party and presents itself as close to Latin American migrants. What do you think?

— We are aware of Vox's rhetoric regarding Latinos, and I know there is a sector close to this party. It's a disgrace. I would ask them to think about the United States. Trump won because of the Latino vote, and now he's doing what he's doing with immigrants, with a Cuban like Marco Rubio in the government [he's the current Secretary of State]. Until you have the boot on your head... Vox uses the same rhetoric as Donald Trump, and I don't like it. These are fascist, racist, hateful speeches that destroy our society instead of building it. Who can guarantee that, if these people govern, the same thing won't happen as in the United States? I also don't understand this hatred toward Muslim culture.

She has lived in Mallorca for many years. How has life changed for migrants?

— The hardest thing today is finding a roof over one's head. Unscrupulous people take advantage of the situation, and many end up living in substandard housing. Migrants are afraid to go to the authorities about these abuses. They forget they have rights out of fear.