The President of the Government of Spain accompanies the King and Queen on their visit to La Palma

2021.9.23

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La Palma (Canary Islands)

After speaking yesterday in New York (United States) at the United Nations General Assembly, meeting with its Secretary General, Ántonio Guterres, with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, and participating in various forums, Pedro Sánchez has travelled back to La Palma to accompany the King and Queen on their visit to the island.

The visit began at the temporary accommodation facilities of the El Fuerte barracks, where people who were evacuated from their homes as a result of the volcanic eruption at "Cumbre Vieja" are being housed.

The president spoke with some of them, who shared their personal circumstances and concerns following the event. He also greeted the members of the different security forces and services that are participating in the emergency and evacuation operation.

From the barracks, both the King and Queen and the head of the Executive travelled to the City Hall's offices in the capital to attend the daily meeting of the Steering Committee of the Special Civil Protection and Emergency Plan for Volcanic Risk (PEVOLCA), where they were briefed on the evolution of the eruption, the damage caused so far and the measures being taken to mitigate the effects of the lava.

They also visited the facilities of the Advanced Command Post, located in El Paso, and the areas most affected by the eruption of the volcano.

Throughout the day, the King and Queen, as well as the President of the Government of Spain, were accompanied by the President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, and the President of the City Hall of La Palma, Mariano Hernández Zapata.

Solidarity and aid to those affected

Pedro Sánchez travelled to La Palma on Sunday, after learning of the eruption of the volcano on Montaña Rajada, to take an interest in the safety of the island's citizens and to express the Government's commitment to the Canary Islands' Executive and to those affected.

On Monday, he visited the areas most affected by the lava and the El Fuerte barracks, which was provided by the Ministry for Defence to house the emergency operation and the residents displaced from their homes.

Following Tuesday's meeting of the PEVOLCA Steering Committee, the president confirmed that the Council of Ministers would initiate the procedures to activate the Civil Protection emergency declaration procedure.

Non official translation