Appearance by the President of the Government of Spain during his visit to Ceuta

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN, PEDRO SÁNCHEZ

Good morning, especially to the people of Ceuta on such a difficult day as today, and after the equally difficult day they experienced yesterday.

As you know, we have just held a meeting with the State law enforcement forces and agencies deployed in the Autonomous City of Ceuta, together with the Armed Forces, the Minister for Home Affairs, myself, and the Government of the Autonomous City, represented by its President, Mr Vivas.

I would like to make two initial points. First, I would like to express my gratitude for the cooperation we have always enjoyed through the Government Delegation, which is represented here today, both at an institutional level and bilaterally with the City Council of Ceuta. And, second, to let the people of Ceuta know that the whole of Spain stands with them, and that the Government of Spain consequently stands with the city of Ceuta. And that we acknowledge the emotional distress they have been experiencing over the last few hours, particularly since yesterday.

Second, to define what happened yesterday as an attack, a violation of Spain's territorial integrity. Ceuta is a Spanish city, and what happened yesterday deserves our strongest possible condemnation; we must decry and condemn it in the strongest possible terms, and regard the violation and attack on the territorial integrity of a Spanish city such as Ceuta as deplorable. I do not wish to overlook, of course, the crisis that the other autonomous city of Melilla also experienced yesterday, albeit on a smaller scale. But we are in Ceuta, which is the city currently facing the most severe crisis, if we compare it with Melilla, and which, of course, also brings to mind the situation experienced in 2021.

For this reason, the third of the commitments I want to make clear - in addition to undertaking to cooperate with the Autonomous Government of Ceuta - is that the Government of Spain will use all the resources at the State's disposal, all the State's resources to guarantee the safety of Ceuta's citizens and, it goes without saying, peaceful coexistence in the Autonomous City of Ceuta, in addition to what we have consistently been doing in recent years, which is a resounding, total and unequivocal commitment from the Government of Spain to the present and future of the Autonomous City of Ceuta. No government has ever invested such a large amount of financial resources in public projects as the current government in the Autonomous City of Ceuta.

What has happened? What in fact has happened is a violation of Spain's territorial integrity, and of the borders of a Spanish city, namely Ceuta. And what has come out of the discussions we have had with the Moroccan authorities is that what underlies the issue is the self-serving interpretation made by the human trafficking syndicates of a Supreme Court ruling, which merely upholds a previous ruling by the High Court of Justice of Andalusia, that states that the repatriation of those who enter our territory by swimming across the sea does not fall within the scope of border repatriations, on the grounds that there is no physical border, as there is, for example, when crossing a land border. This is the current reality. It seems that this interpretation of the Supreme Court's ruling has spread like wildfire over the past few hours through the networks of criminal organisations involved in human trafficking, triggering an avalanche of the nature and scale we witnessed yesterday.

I say this because over the last few years, what we have seen in Ceuta - and, of course, at the other most critical points such as Melilla, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands; in short, Spain's Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, has been a systematic reduction in the arrival of irregular migrant flows. More specifically, so far this year, these flows have fallen by around 36 per cent down to 37 per cent. Last year, too, there was a consistent reduction in irregular migration, with arrivals falling by around 40 per cent. Consequently, yesterday's events break a consistent trend of declining irregular migration flows.

I would also like to make another point: It is true that over the last few days, following the announcement of this ruling, there has been a surge in the number of irregular migrants arriving in the Autonomous City of Ceuta; and, in fact, in coordination with the autonomous government of the city of Ceuta, the Ministry of Home Affairs had already made preparations to set up a CATE, that is, a Temporary Reception Centre for Migrants, or rather for foreign nationals, to facilitate all documentation, registration and triage procedures, and thereby speed up repatriations and deportations to the countries of origin of these irregular migrants.

But, in any case, this situation is, in fact, unprecedented. As I have said, this breaks with the trend we have been seeing across Spain of a systematic decline, year-on-year and month-on-month, in the number of arrivals of irregular migrants; and so we must not only address this issue, but also ensure we do not lose sight of what really matters.

And that is what the Government of Spain is doing. And I have also met with the President of the Autonomous City, Mr Vivas. First, with regard to security, I want to recognise the commitment in recent years of the Government of Spain and the Minister for Home Affairs, to increasing the staffing levels of the Civil Guard and the National Police by an average of 10 per cent across both forces. We have increased the number of Civil Guard and National Police officers by 400; this, combined with the deployment of the Armed Forces' Army and the support of the Navy, is intended to ensure a strong presence in the Autonomous City of Ceuta, on its streets and in its squares, to ensure the peace and security of Ceuta's residents.

Second, as a temporary measure whilst we await clarification on exactly what legal amendments we need to make, if any, we have asked the public company Sasamar - in collaboration with the Navy and, of course, the Civil Guard - to deploy buoys along the breakwater, amongst other measures, to comply with the Supreme Court's ruling, and at least create a containment barrier - a physical barrier, at least in visual terms - so that repatriation at the border can be facilitated from an administrative point of view, thereby complying with the Supreme Court's ruling.

Third, what we are doing is streamlining all procedures relating to the processing of cases and the repatriation of migrants who have entered the country irregularly, primarily since yesterday. As you can see, many of these migrants are already leaving. Nonetheless, the Asylum Commission has met today on an urgent basis to finalise the expulsion proceedings, thereby facilitating the repatriation of migrants who have entered our country illegally.

And last, cooperation with our neighbouring country, Morocco, not only, among other things, to combat - as we have done repeatedly in recent years - the mafias that traffic in human beings; and, incidentally, whilst the number of arrivals is, of course, very important, we also want to express our sorrow at the loss of human lives this crisis has caused at the border between Morocco and Spain, and between Morocco and the autonomous city of Ceuta. It seems to me that this undoubtedly calls for the strongest possible condemnation, particularly of the criminal organisations involved in human trafficking that deceive many young people, many of whom meet their deaths either at sea or, as in this case, at the border with Spain, in the Autonomous City of Ceuta. Whatever the case, we will cooperate with the Moroccan authorities - whom I would also like to thank for their willingness and cooperation - to ensure that this repatriation takes place as soon as possible and, consequently, that the migrants who arrived irregularly, mainly yesterday, are able to leave.

And one further point I would like to make to both the people of Ceuta and to Spanish society as a whole. Immigration policy is a key component of the Government of Spain's public policies. We have constructed it over the last eight years with a great deal of effort, financial resources and close cooperation with transit and origin countries, spearheading important debates such as, for example, the Pact on Migration and Asylum at European level, which was drawn up under the Spanish presidency of the European Union in 2023. And as I always say, this migration policy is based on the following key principles. Firstly, border protection. In Ceuta, what we have been doing over these years has been not only to introduce new technology, but also to modernise and supplement or replace the border perimeter, and to increase the number of Civil Guard and National Police officers. Second, in addition to border controls, we must cooperate with countries of origin and transit in the fight against human trafficking syndicates. We're doing that with Morocco, we're doing that with Mauritania, and we're doing that with Senegal. We are doing so in a very volatile region that is facing an extremely difficult and complex scenario, namely the Sahel. Thirdly, what we are implementing are integration policies. Fourthly, European policy through this migration and asylum pact; and last, as I said earlier, this aid and cooperation with countries of transit and origin - not only in terms of combating criminal networks involved in the trafficking of irregular migrants, but also, naturally, in supporting the development of these countries. Because ultimately what matters is that they stay in those countries, and that the right conditions are created to give these young people the opportunities they need to be able to stay there. These are the measures we are implementing as part of the cross-cutting migration policy we are promoting through the Government of Spain, and I think it is important not to lose sight of this, because we are speaking here from the Autonomous City of Ceuta, an area which - to give you an idea - suffers the world's widest income gap between the African continent and Europe. This is the uniqueness, but also the beauty, of autonomous cities - cities so unique, so special - as Melilla and, in this case, Ceuta.

And so I would like to end as I began, first of all by acknowledging the situation facing the people of Ceuta. Second, by expressing our full support and cooperation, and our commitment to mobilising all the State's resources to ensure that Ceuta returns to normality as soon as possible, as a matter of urgency. The State is with you. We champion security and social harmony in Ceuta in the same way as we would within the M-30 ring road in Madrid, because, ultimately, from a geographical point of view, for us there will always be a centre and a periphery, while from an institutional, political and development perspective, there is certainly no periphery - only a centre. We are all one. And we have demonstrated that spirit of empathy and commitment on many occasions. I believe I am the President of the Government of Spain who has visited the Autonomous City of Ceuta the most times. We have launched some very significant investment projects for the present and future of Ceuta, such as the port, the electricity interconnector, the sites we are going to develop for housing construction, and a long list of other initiatives with which the people of Ceuta are perfectly familiar. Clearly, we must also ensure the safety of the residents of this beautiful city, this wonderful city. And that is what we are going to do as the Government of Spain - what we are already doing as the Government of Spain. And a last matter. The president of the Autonomous City of Ceuta has informed me that small businesses are closing because of this situation. I'd like to examine what policies the Government of Spain can put in place to help these shops, these small businesses and these self-employed people, who are naturally also facing a difficult situation as a result of the crisis we experienced yesterday. But in any case, trust, commitment on the part of the Government of Spain and full cooperation, in this instance with the Government of the Autonomous City of Ceuta.

QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA

Diego Naranjo (Faro de Ceuta). Speaking of returns. It is true that many Moroccans are returning of their own accord, but there are still many scattered throughout the city, and not just in the border area. I would like to know whether the Government of Spain has set a deadline for these repatriations and, above all, how it intends to carry them out, because, as I said, it is quite complicated, as they are not all located in the border area.

Response: Well, you're right. We discussed this very issue at the joint meeting we held with the State law enforcement forces and agencies, the Army, the Armed Forces and, naturally, with the Government. A request has also been made to the Local Police and the authorities of the Autonomous City of Ceuta to inform these migrants - who are in other parts of the city and not at the border - that the borders have been opened and that they may now proceed to leave. This in addition to everything relating to the asylum hearings currently taking place and, consequently, the deportation cases that are arising as a result. I also believe that part of the task involves providing information so that these people can voluntarily leave the city of Ceuta and return to their home towns. The deadline: as soon as possible. As soon as possible. We have experience. Unfortunately, we experienced a very similar situation in 2021, when I believe that the collaboration and co-operation with the Autonomous City of Ceuta was outstanding. The solidarity shown by the rest of the country's regions was also very positive, particularly when it came to children. But in any case, the most urgent priority right now is to restore that sense of normality, to ensure safety, and above all, not to jeopardise our ability to live in harmony.

I shall, of course, be working towards this, whilst maintaining the utmost institutional respect for the President of the Autonomous City of Ceuta. We have spoken many times about the importance of community life in this city. I believe that its diversity is one of its main attractions and also one of its strengths. And that is something I believe all governments must uphold - not only through our policies and actions, but also, naturally, through our public statements. And the Government of Spain will always do this.

Last, I'd like to mention two more things to you. We have spoken to the Moroccan authorities. They are prepared to cooperate to speed up the repatriation of their country's citizens. And finally, I would like to let you know - I had forgotten to mention this in the introduction - that Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska will also be staying here for a few days so that he can monitor the development of this crisis in person.

Miguel Ángel Mendoza (Radio Ceuta SER). I'd like to ask you a question. You were in charge of handling the crisis in 2021. You know exactly what happened. This one is, let's say, four or five times as large as that one in terms of numbers. Do you really believe that Morocco is cooperating? Bearing in mind that if someone goes to the border and spends hours observing they will see that there is no sort of - in inverted commas - bottleneck on the other side, and that people walk in as if they were entering a funfair. Exactly the same. These people were shouting 'Viva España' and were in high spirits, without knowing exactly where they were going. I would like to know whether you really believe that there was cooperation from the outset prior to the solution that Morocco might now be offering. And second, regarding the issue of minors. Of course, we're talking about 7,000 children. It has already been proving difficult to reduce the number of minors in the city of Ceuta, despite the amendment to the Immigration Act. How will this referral be channelled to other areas?

Response: Well, thank you very much for your questions. In relation to the first one. First of all, let's not forget the broader picture - the context in which this crisis is unfolding. It is a context in which, over recent years, there has been a sustainable decline in irregular migration. That's the way it is. In aggregate terms and broadly speaking, 36 per cent in 2026, so far this year; and 40 per cent in 2025 relative to 2024. This is the framework; this is the context. There are clearly specific places, such as the Autonomous City of Ceuta, where there have been spikes in cases over the last few days. Indeed, because of a narrative - which I believe to be self-serving - that is being circulated on social media by organised crime groups regarding a Supreme Court ruling, we do need to consider how we manage this, not only from the, let's call it, most obvious perspective - by placing buoys so that, from an administrative perspective it is clear that there is a containment barrier, and, therefore, these repatriations can take place and be carried out at the border; but also from a legislative point of view, if we need to amend certain aspects of the law to ensure that these border returns are carried out as efficiently as possible. And that is what the Government of Spain is focused on. On both these things. On urgent matters, but of course, on important ones too.

Second, the reason we have seen this reduction in the number of irregular migrants arriving is that we have enjoyed very constructive cooperation with the countries of origin and transit. I can understand the situation the Autonomous City of Ceuta is currently facing, but it is clear that if we want to combat organised crime and reduce irregular migration, we need to cooperate with the countries of origin and transit. And that is exactly what the Government of Spain is doing with all the countries in North Africa and also in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia and, naturally, through dialogue with other countries - in this case, those in the Sahel - to which I referred earlier.

This does not mean that we have not made it clear to our neighbouring country and ally that we need to act more swiftly, and that we must provide a much stronger response to the events that have been taking place in the Autonomous City of Ceuta since yesterday. And I think it is very important to emphasise this, because, amongst other things, our dialogue with the Moroccan authorities yesterday was consistent, fluid and very, very reasonable - in contrast to what happened in 2021.We therefore hope that this cooperation will intensify, enabling us to speed up these repatriations in the coming hours and days, with the aim of restoring normality.

The second reason is that we currently have a legal framework - one that always respects the rule of law, the judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office - that is much more reliable and effective when it comes to dealing with the realities faced by minors. I do not want to put a figure on it here, because it will be the Home Office authorities who, I hope, will be providing the figures relating to this crisis in the next few hours. But what I do want to say is that we have a much more - let's say - secure framework when it comes to dealing with minors. And let us not forget, either - and I would also like to point this out, because of the experience we had in 2021 - that many of the parents of these Moroccan children also demanded their return following this crisis. And this too will be a factor that we will need to take into account in our discussions with Morocco.

And on that note, I would like to conclude by reiterating what I said at the beginning. That we recognise the situation the Government of Spain is facing with Ceuta, just as all its compatriots and all Spanish citizens do. And of course we are going to defend security, harmonious coexistence, prosperity and the peace of mind of Ceuta's citizens as if they were living on the M-30 in the Spanish capital, because there is no such thing as the periphery and the centre when it comes to security, prosperity, social harmony and cohesion in any of the territories and any of the cities in our country.

That is all, thank you very much.

(Transcript edited by the State Secretariat for Communication)