Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox party, has once again thrust the management of immigration in Ceuta and the actions of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez into the spotlight of political discourse, making particularly sharp accusations. Abascal has claimed that the government is deliberately 'abandoning' the autonomous city with a political objective: to instill discouragement among its residents, thereby creating a scenario that he believes would facilitate its handover to Morocco. Such declarations, made via X (formerly Twitter) this past Sunday, did not spare the Prime Minister from harsh criticism, which is a typical element of Vox's rhetoric. The party consistently frames the immigration situation and relations with Morocco as pressing issues, employing highly confrontational language.
Abascal declared, 'The government’s abandonment of Ceuta is deliberate and serves a purpose: to demoralize the people of Ceuta so they throw in the towel and make the city’s transfer to Morocco easier.' He did not stop there; he labeled Sánchez a 'traitor' and went as far as to demand criminal consequences for the Prime Minister, directly linking them to the migration crisis in Ceuta. 'Sánchez must end up in prison for many reasons, but especially for the migration crisis in Ceuta,' he asserted, intensifying the political stakes surrounding the issue.
Vox's Call for Political Isolation of the PSOE
The confrontation between Vox and the government extends beyond accusations against Sánchez. Just last Friday, Abascal had called for 'decent' parties to distance themselves from the PSOE, advocating for a 'hygienic cordon' against the socialists. He stated, 'It is time for all decent parties to abandon the government and utilize all tools at our disposal. First and foremost, establishing a hygienic cordon around the mafia party in Ceuta and Brussels, and bringing the request for a trial for treason to parliament.' This choice of language reveals how the political debate concerning Ceuta has become a particularly fertile ground for confrontation, with terms like 'treason,' 'mafia,' and 'handover' elevating the discourse from mere political management to accusations against the legitimacy and intentions of the political adversary.
Vox Seeks Coalition Government in Ceuta
In parallel to Abascal's statements, Juan Sergio Redondo, the Vox leader in Ceuta, on Saturday urged the PP to allow his party to join a coalition government in the autonomous city. This proposal aims to replicate the model of shared governance between the PP and Vox found in other regions. Redondo believes there is a sufficient majority to form an alternative to the current local government, which includes the nine deputies from the PP and the four from Vox. During a session at the Assembly Palace, accompanied by national deputy Alberto Rodríguez Almeida, Redondo called on the President of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, to sever his agreements with the PSOE and the Movement for Dignity and Citizenship (MDyC), led by Fátima Hamed. The Vox leader argued that their inclusion in the government would help address what he termed the 'absolute chaos' in Ceuta following a massive influx of migrants. He also pointed to the government's responsibility, suggesting that Vivas has supported policies enacted by Pedro Sánchez.
As reported by elplural.com.
