- Nardi Suxo asks the government delegate in Catalonia to convey his country's thanks to National Police and Civil Guard
- Prieto reaffirms the good collaboration between the two countries and appreciates the work and “humanity” of the State Security Forces
- The Bolivian Government notes that its 69 citizens have had access to legal advice and that due process and their rights have been respected
Barcelona, April 11, 2024.- The government delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto, held a meeting this Thursday with the Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia in Spain, Nardi Suxo, to address the situation of the 69 Bolivian passengers who arrived at the port of Barcelona on an MSC cruise without a valid visa and who have been returned to their country on Thursday. The visit of the ambassador to the Delegation responds to the instruction of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Celinda Sosa Lunda.
The ambassador wanted to thank the delegate for the work done by the Government of Spain, which in compliance with the law has returned 65 of them to their country. “The 69 fellow citizens have agreed that they have been very well treated. Everyone has said it and I want to put it in value”, said Suxo to the delegate who has reciprocated with another thanks for the good harmony between the two states when dealing with a case “of special sensitivity”.
Nardi has assured that these people were deceived by mafias understanding that their visa was valid and has stressed that this is “an isolated event”. “Bolivians and Bolivians are very respectful of the regulations of the country in which they are”, said the ambassador and Prieto replied that the Government of Spain is very aware of this and that the ties that unite these countries are also strengthened when dealing with these situations.
The delegate insisted that the Government of Spain “always complies with the law” and stressed that in turn “it works with the utmost consideration towards these people who arrive from other countries, because it is aware of their difficulties”. Both have conjured up the struggle of mafias who take advantage of vulnerable people and have stressed the need to do pedagogy in the countries of origin so that situations such as the one that occurred in Barcelona do not recur.
Prieto has defended the joint work carried out by both governments and together with Suxo have committed to “continue working hand in hand so that migration is carried out in a regulated and legal manner”, a determination that has been evident in the treatment by both administrations of this case.
The ambassador has asked the delegate to convey his country’s gratitude also to the National Police and the Civil Guard for the treatment and professionalism they have shown towards their fellow citizens, something that Prieto has assured that he will convey since the State Security Forces “always perform their duty excellently”.
Both have highlighted the situation of the four members of a family who have stayed: they are three brothers -- two minors and an adult with a young daughter -- whose parents reside in Girona and the father has Spanish nationality. The delegate stressed that they met the requirements and that they were not denied entry to Spain on “humanitarian” grounds.
Delegate and ambassador also agreed on the good coordination with the company that has taken responsibility for the passengers and that, despite having the obligation to transfer them to the origin from where they left (Brazil) they have decided to take them to Bolivia.
THE CONSUL
The Consul General of Bolivia in Barcelona, Martín Barzuco, also participated in the meeting, of which the delegate highlighted the “excellent work” done in Barcelona and, especially, with the 69 passengers.
The consul said that “the channels of communication with the delegation and with the State Security Forces have worked excellently”. “We have found that our fellow citizens have had access to legal advice and that due process and their rights have been respected and the treatment received has been excellent,” he concluded.