Ceuta's Crisis: Urgent Appeals for National Emergency
The recent influx of thousands of young migrants attempting to cross the fences separating Ceuta from Morocco has significantly heightened the tensions in this autonomous city, which had already seen nearly 2,000 arrivals by swimming over the past ten days. In response to this escalating situation, Ceuta's president, Juan Jesús Vivas, made an urgent plea for assistance to the Spanish government on Thursday. Backed by all political parties, he called for the activation of a national emergency and the closure of the border. The situation has become increasingly dire, prompting Vivas to describe the need for a "robust, decisive, and immediate" response to the crisis.
In a telephone conversation with Vivas, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sought to reassure him by stating that Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska would visit the autonomous city on Friday to assess the situation firsthand, although the prospect of a national emergency seems unlikely. "We are mobilizing all necessary resources, collaborating with Moroccan and international authorities, and preparing measures to restore normalcy as swiftly as possible," Sánchez posted on social media platform X. Among these measures, sources from the Ministry of Interior mentioned expediting the returns to Morocco, a move that has been confirmed by the neighboring country.
Escalating Tensions and Calls for Action
The situation escalated around midday when thousands of individuals converged on the border perimeter from the town of Castillejos in what appeared to be a coordinated effort. Among the crowd were entire families, women, children, and young men. Many managed to breach the fence and enter Ceuta, where reception services had already been overwhelmed. By early afternoon, similar surges of young migrants were observed attempting to swim across the border.
In light of these developments, Vivas convened a meeting with representatives from all political parties in the Ceuta Assembly, resulting in a unanimous declaration calling for the urgent adoption of three measures: activation of the national emergency, an increase in security forces, and closure of the border. Following this declaration, Ceuta government sources reported that Sánchez reiterated the government's commitment to developing an extraordinary response to the migration crisis, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
Currently, the government is focusing on expediting what are referred to as 'hot returns' for those who have crossed into Ceuta illegally. Officials expressed appreciation for the efforts made by Moroccan authorities in recent days through their security forces and announced plans to swiftly implement measures for the return of all individuals who have entered Ceuta unlawfully, a move confirmed by Morocco. However, this agreement has sparked discontent among partners in the Sumar coalition, who oppose such measures.
The recent surge of nearly 2,000 swimmers attempting to reach Ceuta can be traced back to a Supreme Court ruling that clarified the provisions of the Citizens' Security Law regarding immediate returns at sea. The ruling indicated that those intercepted while trying to swim to Ceuta or Melilla cannot be returned immediately; only those who attempt to breach border containment elements, such as fences, are subject to immediate return. Therefore, in this case, many of those who jumped the fence could potentially be returned, similar to the mass entry of 10,000 individuals in May 2021.
During his conversation with Sánchez, Vivas underscored the severity of the situation, urging for a declaration of a situation of interest to national security, as outlined in Article 23 of the National Security Law, rather than a declaration of emergency under civil protection laws, which have been activated during events like wildfires in Madrid and Ávila. Vivas has also called for an increase in the number of security forces to safeguard the border and ensure the safety of the city, a request echoed by police unions.
As reported by elperiodico.com.
