Eduardo González
The international community has reacted to the influx of irregular migrants in Ceuta over the past two days, each country adapting the crisis to its own specific circumstances and interests. The EU has pledged to work “closely” with Spain and Morocco to resolve the problem. The United States has attributed the crisis to “the deliberate efforts of the Spanish government to facilitate and promote mass illegal migration to Europe.” Ukraine has accused Russia of using images of Ceuta “to sow destabilization,” and Israel’s representative to the UN has called Ceuta a “colony,” although the Israeli Embassy in Spain has disavowed him.
Meanwhile, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote on social media that “the images coming from Ceuta are unacceptable.” “We cannot allow anyone to enter our Union without complying with our rules,” she warned. “Dangerous crossings must be stopped immediately. Trafficking networks must be dismantled, and returns must be swift, as our rules allow,” she added.
“I have tasked two Commissioners with supporting the monitoring of the situation,” she announced. Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, “is already working closely with Spain and is ready to travel to the hotspots. He will work on providing additional operational support to Spain, including collaboration with Frontex,” she specified.
For her part, Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean and Demography, “is in contact with her Moroccan counterpart,” she continued. “I am confident that our close partnership with Morocco will help to achieve concrete results,” she stated. “This is not a time for division. It is a time to continue building a strong and united EU,” she concluded.
Meanwhile, the President of the European Council, António Costa, expressed his “solidarity with Spain in the current situation of illegal migration in Ceuta.” “Although third-country nationals in Ceuta do not enjoy free movement to mainland Spain or the rest of the Schengen Area, Spain’s firm response, which includes ongoing expedited returns, demonstrates our determination to protect our external borders, combat illegal migration, and dismantle criminal human trafficking networks,” he emphasized. “I welcome Spain’s close cooperation with Morocco to address this shared challenge and ensure swift returns,” he continued. “We will maintain close contact with Spanish authorities in the coming days,” he announced.
US
In Washington, the State Department asserted that “the United States stands with the people of Spain, and all Europeans, in the face of this flagrant violation of their sovereignty and human rights.”
“This unacceptable incident is a direct result of the Spanish government’s deliberate efforts to facilitate and promote mass illegal migration to Europe,” denounced the department headed by Marco Rubio. “We are considering actions to defend Americans at home and abroad from this threat, and we stand ready to assist other European allies considering similar options,” he said.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance seized the opportunity to praise President Donald Trump. “Thank God the US president was elected and our country’s border no longer looks like this. These images from Spain are an unfortunate reminder of the consequences of mass migration and the globalist policies of the radical left that have enabled the invasion of the West,” he declared.
Ukraine
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha denounced “an intense Russian propaganda campaign across Europe using images of Ceuta to sow destabilization.” “There have been more than 1,500 publications in media outlets identified by analysts as a pro-Russian network, led by Pravda and RT. Pravda in Spanish has published nearly 300 of them. Each RT language edition has promoted more than 25 news stories on the subject,” he added. “For years, Moscow has used migration and other sensitive issues to stoke fear and destabilize European countries,” he asserted.
Israel
The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, has seized upon the migration crisis in Ceuta to accuse Spain of maintaining “colonial enclaves in Africa.” In response, the Israeli Embassy in Madrid clarified that Danon’s comments “do not represent the position of the State of Israel.”
“Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis caused by its immigration policy,” Danon posted on social media. “Perhaps before it continues to lecture us, it’s time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa,” he added.
“Closely monitoring the situation in Ceuta,” wrote Dana Erlich, head of mission at the Israeli Embassy in Madrid. “The comment made by Israel’s Ambassador to the UN on the issue does not represent the position of the State of Israel,” she warned.
