Sánchez announces that King Felipe VI will visit Ceuta and defends Morocco: "Cooperation was instant"

MadridThe Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, broke his silence this Monday after a month without speaking publicly amid an unprecedented crisis in Ceuta and made an announcement: he assured that there are "arguments and reasons" for King Felipe VI to visit the autonomous city for the first time. However, he did not specify on what date this trip will take place. "The visit will happen," he pledged in an interview with the SER, in addition to defending the Spanish government's management and "instantaneous cooperation from Morocco" in dealing with the massive influx of migrants on July 30.

"Cooperation with Morocco is positive," said Sánchez, adding that thanks to agreements with the Alawite country, irregular entries have been reduced, beyond what happened on July 30. Furthermore, he reaffirmed that without a fluid relationship with the Alawite country, the crisis cannot be resolved: he said that the Moroccan government is willing to help both in the repatriation of adults and in the family reunification of minors.

The fact that the monarch visits the autonomous city is an exceptional matter and a fact that had generated controversy because the right wing insinuated that Felipe VI wanted to go and the Spanish government did not authorize it. This Monday, the Spanish Prime Minister wanted to dispel doubts about his willingness: he showed himself to be in favor of the king going, considering that it has been twenty years since any Spanish monarch set foot there. The last and only time in democracy a head of state went to Ceuta was in 2007, with the visit of Juan Carlos I and Sofia, but it generated a clash with Morocco due to its claim over the territory and was interpreted as a "provocation." In any case, sources from the Royal Household consulted by ARA do not anticipate when this trip will take place. They limit themselves to saying that they will work on it together with Moncloa. The PP has received the announcement critically: it has asked to set aside the monarchy from "partisan" struggles and pointed out that if Alberto Núñez Feijóo were president, he would go on the visit together with the head of state. In fact, popular sources believe that if the king has not yet gone, it is the fault of Moncloa.

Sánchez waited until this Monday, after an escalation of tension in Ceuta, to give explanations about the Spanish government's management of the crisis. Despite the opposition's criticism, he assured that he had "worked" this summer and had been at the forefront of the situation, but he also defended his right to "rest" from those who reproach him for taking holidays. "It is a right that we politicians also have," he said, although he assured that a president of the government "never disconnects and is 24/7 attentive to the country". Furthermore, he not only defended his management without self-criticism, but also showed himself willing to finish the term again. "It lasts four years," he recalled, without specifying whether the elections will be in the first quarter of 2027, before the municipal and regional elections, as some critical socialist barons demand, or afterwards. He also reaffirmed his intention to lead the PSOE again in the next elections.

The origin of the crisis

The Spanish president began the interview by giving figures on Ceuta and talking about the origin of the massive influx of migrants: he said that around 72,000 people entered — of whom he said most returned in the following days thanks to collaboration with Morocco — and that currently there are 5,000 left in Ceuta, 1,200 of whom are minors. What Sánchez couldn't say is how many are currently being attended to. "In a short time we will have the capacity to accommodate them," he said. In this regard, he said that the priority of the Spanish government is to return the migrants and resolve the cases in the autonomous city itself, without transferring them to the Peninsula. Regarding minors, the Ministry of Youth is working to transfer 700 girls in a situation of special vulnerability. Sources from the Ministry of Migrations, headed by Elma Saiz, explained this Monday that the Spanish government has so far opened 3,300 new places to accommodate migrants in Ceuta for temporary care. A figure that shows that it still does not cover the needs of the 5,000 people remaining in the city, although the executive has committed to reaching 6,000.

The places are distributed in various points of the city: specifically, 1,200 places in Loma Colmenar, 1,300 in Loma Margarita, more than 500 additional places in the facilities of the Temporary Immigrant Stay Center, and 320 more places enabled in the La Hípica area.

After decoupling Morocco from the massive influx of migrants, even though that country controls the other side of the border, Sánchez has admitted that he cannot currently determine the origin of the crisis. According to him, they are "investigating" the cause that led to more than 70,000 people crossing the border, but he cited several relevant factors: a "misrepresentation" of the Supreme Court ruling rejecting hot returns by sea, the role of mafias, and an amplification of fake news by the "reactionary international", Israel, and Russia. In Sánchez's opinion, however, there does not have to be a "state actor" behind it all.

Sánchez has emphasized that Ceuta and Melilla are two very complex places, as it is the only land border between Europe and Africa, a very unequal border, and whose security "cannot be guaranteed 100%". In fact, he has assured that "the majority of migrants who entered did so for economic and not humanitarian reasons", so he has predicted that most people will have to return to Morocco because they will not have the right to asylum. The explanations have not convinced either the opposition or the partners, who accuse him of being benevolent with the Alawite country. Vox has asked to suspend the friendship treaty with Morocco, while Sumar and Podem have once again pointed to the regime as also responsible for the crisis.

The CNI's warnings

Were there warnings or not from the CNI to prevent the situation? Sánchez defended that there was no information about the magnitude of the massive entry of migrants. He stated that the CNI warned of a rebound in entries to Ceuta by swimming, but not of the magnitude of what happened, so the reinforcement that occurred at the border was not sufficient. "Nobody predicted that we would have an entry of those characteristics," he said, adding that in his opinion there is no contradiction between what Defense says - which said there were CNI reports - and Interior - which claims there were no warnings to interpret that a massive entry would occur.

At the same time, he wanted to emphasize that Spanish intelligence services did not foresee the crisis, but neither did other intelligence services with whom the State usually collaborates. This Monday, the ministers of Youth, Sira Rego, and Equality, Ana Redondo, will also appear to account to Congress for their management in Ceuta, and this Tuesday the council of ministers will approve a new package of measures for the autonomous city. Sánchez defended the package of economic aid of 168 million euros to reactivate Ceuta. An investment that will be added, he specified, to a plan already announced by the Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, of 180 million. Moreover, according to Sánchez, the PSOE and Sumar government is the executive that has most committed to the autonomous city despite the current situation.