"Morocco will take the necessary measures": Albares on a possible new attempt to enter Ceuta

BarcelonaSpain claims it has guarantees from Morocco that there will not be a new mass entry into Ceuta this Wednesday. After messages have circulated on social media in recent days about an attempt to cross the border coinciding with the legislative elections in the North African country, the Spanish government is striving to downplay this scenario and, once again, defends the full collaboration of Rabat, which has been questioned both outside and inside the council of ministers following the crisis in Ceuta.

“Just today I have been in contact with my Moroccan counterpart [Naser Bourita] so that they take measures in this regard. And what he has conveyed to me is that, of course, they will take whatever measures are necessary," stated Minister José Manuel Albares in recent hours. The Foreign Minister made these statements from New York, where he will attend the UN General Assembly. And he announced that he will take advantage of the summit to meet with Bourita and address the return of the migrants who remain in Ceuta following the events of July 30.

In parallel to the contacts with Rabat, in recent days Spain has requested the collaboration of the Moroccan press to disseminate deterrent messages in the face of a hypothetical new attempt at entry. It has also redoubled public and social media messages against "disinformation". "Entering Ceuta and Melilla irregularly does not grant access to reach Europe, nor will it allow them to remain indefinitely," warned Minister Albares again from New York.

Despite the precautions, the Spanish government insists on downplaying the risk of a new entry attempt. "The messages are not catching on," Albares said this Monday in an interview with Catalunya Ràdio. And this Thursday he returned to recall that previous calls to cross the border, such as the one that occurred on August 15, ended in "failure".