Ceuta, one of Spain’s two North African enclaves, is home to around 85,000 people and has been overwhelmed by a migration surge: roughly 60,000 entered from Morocco in one day. Spain has sent the army to the territory, and at least 34 people died during attempts to cross the border.
The influx took place on Thursday and the night that followed, with the local administration in Ceuta—run by the opposition People’s Party (PP)—putting the number of arrivals at 60,000. Spain’s interior ministry later said that about 25,000 of those who crossed without control had voluntarily gone back to Morocco. In Melilla, the other enclave, hundreds tried to force their way across the border and the crossing was closed late Thursday evening.
Public broadcaster RTVE reported that early on Friday hundreds of people were involved in violent clashes in border areas. The president of Ceuta, Juan Jesus Vivas, said the situation had become impossible to handle and criticised the response as both too late and insufficient, according to the Cadena SER radio portal.
– The situation is unsustainable. (…) Measures were taken too late and they were insufficient – said Juan Jesus Vivas.
Madrid sends army and promises faster returns
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrived in Ceuta on Friday and described the events as a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity. He promised that repatriation procedures would be accelerated. Madrid has already deployed soldiers, and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska was also travelling to the area; according to RTVE, Sanchez spoke with King Felipe VI about the migration crisis.
Territorial Policy Minister Angel Victor Torres said Spain would use the migration agreements signed with Morocco to send back people who arrived in Ceuta during the latest wave. Sources at Spain’s foreign ministry told RTVE that relations with Morocco were “excellent” and that migration cooperation was “intense”, with both countries agreeing to intensify joint efforts to resolve the situation.
Political blame and echoes of 2021
The opposition People’s Party, which governs Ceuta, criticised the government’s handling of the crisis. In its view, the authorities had the proper means to prevent it.
The situation in Melilla was described as less severe, with local estimates suggesting that only a few hundred people attempted to cross. Spanish media recalled that in May 2021 nearly 10,000 migrants entered Ceuta within two days during a previous surge.
Źródło: Polsat News, Fot. Polsat News
