Sánchez requests an urgent meeting with the EU due to the crisis in Ceuta and criticizes the attitude of some countries

MadridThe entry of thousands of immigrants into Ceuta, and which has already resulted in more than 60 deaths, has triggered a diplomatic clash in the European Union. The President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, sent a letter this Saturday to the community institutions to complain about the attitude of some countries in the face of the migratory crisis in the autonomous city. In the letter, to which ARA has had access, the head of the central executive labels the reactions of some member states to the crisis as

Although no specific country is mentioned, the letter is a clear reference to the decision taken by the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, to tighten border controls with Spain for one month. Sources from the Italian government indicated this Saturday that the reinforcement begins this August 1st and will be based on "selective controls that will be applied only to nationals of third countries outside the European Union arriving from Spain". Finland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic have also shown their support. In fact, Italy, Denmark, and 22 other countries also requested an extraordinary meeting of Interior Ministers this Saturday to analyze the crisis in Ceuta and "agree on a coordinated response and immediate actions for the control of the external border", according to EFE.

Spain has complained that the response of some countries has been very different from that of the Spanish government in the face of other similar crises in Europe. The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, did not hesitate to recall the 2023 migratory crisis on the coasts of Lampedusa, in Italy, and the role the State played then. "This selfishness [of Italy] is a failure to assume the values of the European Union," Marlaska denounced from Ceuta, where he appeared in a press conference this Saturday morning. Marlaska spoke of "bad faith, ignorance or lack of knowledge." The minister lamented that the State found itself "alone" in the face of the crisis and that they only had the "cooperation" of Morocco. Marlaska, in line with the message sent from Moncloa in the last 48 hours —they want to avoid a new diplomatic crisis—, he said that the Alawite country is a "reliable partner" and not a threat. However, he admitted that both Spain and Morocco will have to assess what happened.

Recovery of "normality"

The night in Ceuta has passed with "normalcy", as reported by the Ministry of the Interior, although there are still some young migrants wandering the city and shops and restaurants remain closed. Regarding Melilla, the Spanish government delegation reported this Saturday morning that the Beni Enzar border is being reopened in a "gradual" manner. "It will be carried out in phases and, for the moment, only for the transit of vehicles for the "Operation Strait Crossing"," Interior sources indicated. In this autonomous city, tranquility has also been regained drop by drop and after an intense night marked by different attempted entries by groups of young North African migrants, according to EFE.

The Spanish government assures that of the almost 50,000 people who crossed irregularly from Morocco to Ceuta, more than 48,000, that is, "practically all of them", have already been returned to the Alawite country. The dance of figures with the data provided by other authorities —the government of Ceuta spoke this Friday night of 60,000 entries and the return of 53,000 people— is the result of the "complexity" of the crisis, they acknowledged from the Interior. It should be taken into account that arrivals began to occur even before Thursday, although that was the day of maximum tension. "It is very difficult to specify [a figure]", acknowledged Grande-Marlaksa from Ceuta.

However, the minister assured that "normality is practically achieved" 48 hours after the entry of thousands of people. Although he did not want to declare the crisis resolved, he insisted that the situation has been "reversed". The deployment of state security forces and corps, including the army, will continue to be reinforced.

Border reinforcement

"I don't think [a similar crisis] will happen again. We have the instruments to prevent it", said Marlaska, who assured that Spanish intelligence services had not warned of what would happen on July 30. "They had not prepared any report warning [about the crisis in Ceuta]", he said.

This Saturday morning, the Spanish government has begun to deploy a "containment barrier" on the Tarajal jetty, in Ceuta. According to sources from the Ministry of the Interior, it is a pneumatic barrier 500 meters long, with a surface height of 30 to 70 centimeters and a second part submerged to a depth of one meter. "This structure is combined with a first line of anchored buoys provided by the Navy", explain from the Interior. An intermediate channel has also been drawn that will allow Civil Guard boats to "guarantee the protection" of the barrier.

Pressure from PP and Vox

However, the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has also traveled to Ceuta, where after meeting with the president of the autonomous city, Juan Jesús Vivas, he will appear before the media. The PP has not hesitated to attack the Spanish government over the crisis: against its management, but also against its migration policies. The PSOE has lamented that the PP opts for "political opportunism" instead of collaborating.

Vox will also travel to Ceuta, but will do so this Sunday. Santiago Abascal's party has not hesitated to use the crisis to pressure around migration and integration policies. In addition to demanding an end to aid for NGOs that welcome migrants, they have threatened that if the government "does not expel the immigrants, Spaniards will do so". Faced with this, the fear for some is that Vox will use Ceuta in the same way it used the Murcian city of Torre Pacheco: as a laboratory for the far-right to fuel the anti-immigration discourse.