The Secretary General of the Spanish political party Podemos, Ione Belarra, has accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of "protecting Morocco" during the ongoing immigration crisis affecting Ceuta. She claimed that Sánchez is "bending his head" before Rabat, asserting that the leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is simultaneously attempting to create a conflict with the monarchy to divert attention from his government's handling of the crisis.
During a press conference held on Tuesday at the Spanish Parliament, Belarra stated that Sánchez's government is following what she termed a "deliberate negligence" strategy, resulting in a prolonged situation stemming from the mass entry of migrants into Ceuta at the end of July. She expressed her belief that the crisis could have been contained within 24 to 48 hours.
As the leader of Podemos, a party that has previously collaborated with Sánchez in government and was part of the leftist coalition that secured parliamentary support for his current administration, Belarra opined that the government could have dispatched additional teams to assist the city or facilitated the transfer of migrants to the Spanish mainland, which would alleviate the pressure on social services in Ceuta.
Belarra argued that the government is "punishing Morocco, or at least thinks it is, by mistreating individuals in Ceuta," explaining that the intention, in her view, is to deter people from returning to the city or to dissuade others from attempting to reach Europe.
Highlighting her concerns, the former Minister of Social Affairs and current parliamentarian emphasized that this approach "will not succeed in stopping migration, as people will continue to seek a better future in Europe," criticizing what she perceived as an inadequate handling of the humanitarian aspect of the crisis.
Regarding Sánchez's remarks about King Felipe VI's upcoming visit to Ceuta, Belarra asserted that the Prime Minister is attempting to fabricate a "controversy with the monarchy" to shift the discussion towards institutional conflict, rather than focusing on what she described as his "negligence" in addressing the humanitarian crisis.
Sánchez had announced in an interview with Cadena SER that King Felipe VI would visit Ceuta, a move that Belarra interpreted as an attempt by the Prime Minister to provoke a confrontation with the monarchy at a time when the city is grappling with a migration crisis.
In contrast, the Podemos leader called on Sánchez to clarify his government's stance on Morocco, questioning why he has excluded the possibility of Rabat's involvement in the crisis's emergence. She urged him to clarify whether Morocco is "exerting some sort of threat" against Spain, particularly ahead of his anticipated appearance before Parliament on Friday.
Belarra expressed her conviction that Morocco harbors "expansionist ambitions" that include the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla, as well as the "control of the Strait of Gibraltar." She added that these aspirations, in her assessment, receive support from both Israel and the United States, within a context where significant economic interests intersect with Sánchez's government.
Lastly, the Secretary General of Podemos linked this issue to Sánchez's international position, criticizing what she viewed as a contradiction between his previous image as an opponent of former President Donald Trump's policies and what she currently describes as "subservience to power," whether it be towards the United States or a "bowing of the head" before Morocco.
As reported by assahifa.com.
