Ceuta Struggles with Migrant Influx Amid Urgent Calls for Security Reinforcement
Eight days following a massive influx of migrants into the autonomous city of Ceuta, the situation remains far from normal, according to President Juan Vivas after his meeting with the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego. The figures of migrants present in the streets of Ceuta continue to fluctuate significantly. While reports indicated between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants on Thursday, by Saturday, Vivas estimated the number had surged to between 8,000 and 11,000. In response to this pressing situation, the regional government has urged the central government to bolster security forces by deploying at least 'a thousand' additional agents from the National Police and the Civil Guard. They have demanded measures to effectively 'seal' the border with Morocco to prevent any possibility of a repeat of such a massive entry of migrants. Although Vivas acknowledged the efforts of the security forces already on the ground, he conveyed that the officers have indicated a 'shortage in the number of personnel' available.
Moreover, he has insisted that the government clarify that the only viable solution for individuals still wandering Ceuta is their return to Morocco. He emphasized that the borders of Europe, Spain, and Ceuta cannot be left 'in the hands of a third country.' To this end, he has called for preventive, deterrent, and reactive measures to be implemented. In his remarks, Vivas described it as 'practically impossible' that Morocco was unaware of the mobilization of tens of thousands of people that occurred on July 30. He expressed surprise that it is still being suggested that Morocco actively collaborated to prevent this situation, although he admitted lacking concrete information on Morocco's level of awareness.
Community Resilience and the Role of Social Services
Furthermore, Vivas noted that the city had been warning about an emergency situation for some time. He explained that in the days and weeks leading up to the crisis, Ceuta had been seeing entries of 'one hundred, two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, five hundred people each day.' The president has also called on the entire population to gather this Sunday to demonstrate unity in the face of the migration crisis, 'beyond political parties and ideologies.' He made it clear that this is not a political rally but a gathering to benefit the community as a whole. Regions such as Aragón, Castilla y León, and Extremadura have already announced their refusal to attend meetings with Minister Sira Rego regarding the transfer of minors until individualized assessments are completed. Next week, the government is set to dispatch a technical team to expedite the identification, reception, and relocation of minors to other autonomous communities, with over 1,300 currently registered.
Meanwhile, social services continue to operate tirelessly under immense pressure. Beaches have become makeshift beds, showers serve as hygiene facilities, and any available corner is utilized to restore a sense of normalcy. The urgent need has tested the solidarity of the Ceutí people, with NGOs stepping up to provide thousands of meals daily. Halima Ahmed, spokesperson for the NGO Luna Blanca, shares that the migrants greet them with applause, eagerly awaiting their meal. This organization alone is serving over 2,000 meals each day. The extraordinary healthcare service activated in the autonomous city has recorded 901 medical assists between 9:00 AM on Friday and 9:00 AM on Saturday. Additionally, there have been 48 ambulance transfers and 23 orthopantomograms, while 18 patients remain hospitalized at the University Hospital of Ceuta, one of whom is in the ICU, and there have been 198 emergency room visits.
As reported by aragonplay.es.
