The Government is working with Moroccan authorities to address the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta

Eduardo González The Government has confirmed that it is working with Moroccan and international authorities to address the mass arrival of migrants on the shores of Ceuta in recent hours. The President of the Autonomous City, Juan Jesús Vivas, has requested a declaration of a “national emergency,” but the Ministry of the Interior has warned him that civil protection regulations only provide for this measure for natural and technological hazards, not for migration crises. “The Government of Spain is fully committed to providing an immediate response to the situation in Ceuta,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted on social media this Thursday. “We are mobilizing all necessary resources, working with Moroccan and international authorities, and preparing the necessary measures to restore normality as soon as possible,” he stated. “I have just conveyed this to President Juan Jesús Vivas. It is time to build solutions, with responsibility and cooperation,” he concluded. Pedro Sánchez will visit the Autonomous City of Ceuta this Friday, July 31, accompanied by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The Prime Minister will travel to the Tarajal border crossing, where he will meet with representatives of the State Security Forces, and will then go to the Assembly Palace for a coordination meeting with Jesús Vivas, the Government Delegate, Miguel Ángel Pérez, the heads of the National Police and the Civil Guard, and the directors of the Ceuta CETI (Temporary Immigrant Detention Center) and the Red Cross. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Sánchez will make a statement to the media at the Assembly. For its part, the Ministry of the Interior has assured that the Moroccan government “is cooperating loyally and continuously with Spain and collaborating closely” to stem the crisis and that its security forces are preventing numerous people from reaching Ceuta. Government sources emphasized on Thursday that “the relationship with Morocco is excellent and coordination on migration and other issues remains very strong.” “Both countries have agreed on mechanisms for returning migrants who have crossed the border illegally,” they continued. “The governments of both countries are in constant contact at all levels to further strengthen this intense and fruitful coordination and thus address and resolve the situation in Ceuta,” they added. The same sources warned that “this crisis in Ceuta has nothing to do with the regularization of migrants approved by the Spanish Government, as is being falsely claimed by some.” “It is false that anyone who has crossed in recent days can benefit from this process, as it requires very specific conditions, such as proving residency in Spain before January 1, 2026, and having resided in Spain for five consecutive months at the time of application,” they cautioned. This crisis, they asserted, “stems from an interpretation of the Supreme Court decision, which prohibits the return of people who swim across, a decision that has been exploited by mafias and criminal organizations to take advantage of the extreme vulnerability of migrants.” According to the aforementioned government sources, “this migration crisis is neither the first nor will it be the last in Europe.” “The Government of Spain advocates for the efficient management of these processes, with respect for Spanish, European, and international law, and for human rights,” they continued. “The Government of Spain appreciates European solidarity, which has always counted on Spain to address phenomena of this kind when they have affected other countries, and rejects the demagogic and partisan use of situations like the one we are experiencing,” they concluded. Moroccan authorities Despite the agreement between Morocco and Spain to stop the influx of people, hundreds continue to arrive in the north of the country, on foot or in motor vehicles, prepared to cross the sea. This is the worst migration crisis between Spain and Morocco since the one in 2021. According to Moroccan police sources speaking to the EFE news agency, authorities in Rabat have deployed officers at train and bus stations to prevent young people from reaching the northern towns closest to Ceuta. In Rabat, police are monitoring trains heading to Tangier, and controls have been intensified on the roads leading to Castillejos, which borders the autonomous city. In the area around Tangier, according to the same sources, several groups of young people walking along the roadside hid in nearby woods to avoid the police presence. Moroccan authorities have not yet released official figures on those arrested, rescued, or drowned at sea. National emergency Around 1,700 people have entered Ceuta irregularly in the last week via the Tarajal breakwater, which separates Morocco from the autonomous city. This figure represents approximately two percent of Ceuta's population. The land and swimming route to Ceuta has surged by 149.4 percent so far this year compared to last year, with more than 2,800 entries recorded. In the last few hours alone, nearly 800 people attempted to enter Ceuta from Morocco and Algeria on Wednesday. Most were young people between 18 and 30 years old, and among them were numerous minors. Most of these people were intercepted by Moroccan patrol boats, but 300 managed to swim to the Spanish coast. In addition, at least thirty people have died during this period while attempting to reach Spain, although humanitarian organizations have warned that many more may have disappeared at sea. For this reason, Vivas has asked the Government to declare a “national emergency” and involve Brussels in resolving the problem, given that Ceuta is “the border of Spain, but also of Europe,” and therefore, it concerns “the security of the only land and sea border, along with Melilla, that Europe shares with Africa.” He has also demanded the establishment of a “unified command” between the central government, the various ministries involved, and the Autonomous City. In response to these requests, the Ministry of the Interior has stated that it is not possible to activate a national emergency declaration in this case because this mechanism is only available for natural and technological risks, but has assured that the government is reinforcing resources to address the situation. The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, spoke with Vivas on Thursday and will travel to Ceuta on Friday to closely monitor the situation. The Secretary General of the People's Party (PP), Miguel Tellado, declared that Ceuta is experiencing a “full-blown migration crisis” with the arrival of “200 people a day over the last few weeks” and, therefore, it is “evident that the government must act in the face of this migration collapse.” “We have been repeatedly warning over the last few months that what has occurred is a dereliction of duty, and today we know that this dereliction of duty has an enormous cost for the people of Ceuta,” he added. Pedro Sánchez, he asserted, “has neglected his own responsibilities regarding immigration and has neglected the control of Spain's borders.” For his part, the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, has described these events as an “invasion” by “men of military age summoned by the corrupt government of Sánchez to storm our borders and then wander the streets of Spain saying 'Long live Pedro Sánchez'”.

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