The United States on Wednesday called on Spain and Morocco to work together to resolve the crisis in the autonomous city of Ceuta. In recent days, 8,000 Moroccan migrants in an irregular situation, according to official Spanish sources, have arrived in the city, despite the many repatriations to Morocco already carried out.
The former President of the Spanish government, José María Aznar, sharply criticized on Tuesday the way the Spanish executive is handling the current crisis with Morocco, stressing that the socialist government led by Pedro Sánchez was unable to anticipate the Moroccan response. However, he recalled the current leaders’ responsibility to guarantee Spain’s territorial integrity.
The Spanish police are said to have shot at Moroccan migrants near the borders with the enclave of Ceuta, injuring two. The two injured are said to be out of danger.
Europe "will not be intimidated by anyone" on the migration issue. A statement made on Wednesday by the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, commenting on the massive influx of migrants from the small Spanish enclave of Ceuta coming from Morocco.
Faced with the influx of migrants, especially minors who arrived in Ceuta between Monday and Tuesday, Spain has opened 250 reception centers in Andalusia to house them. Of different nationalities including Moroccan, these minors were counted among the 6,000 irregular migrants who reached Ceuta by swimming or on inflatable boats.
An extreme right-wing group called "the Phalangist Youth" organized a demonstration near the headquarters of the Moroccan Embassy in Madrid on Tuesday to protest the massive arrival of migrants in Ceuta . One of the protesters tried to burn the Moroccan flag.
The massive influx of migrants to Ceuta has prompted Morocco to deploy security forces to maintain order along the border and prevent forced crossings.
On a visit this Tuesday, for the first time to Ceuta, the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez, was greeted upon his arrival with numerous boos and insults from the residents.
Spain has summoned the Moroccan ambassador, Karima Benyaich following the arrival of thousands of Moroccan migrants in Ceuta (Sebta) last Monday. In response, the Moroccan government has just recalled the Moroccan diplomat for consultation.
Arancha González Laya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, returns to the emergency admission of Brahim Ghali , leader of the Polisario, in a hospital in Logroño, near Zaragoza, under the borrowed name of Mohamed Ben Battouche, of Algerian nationality. She rules out any link between the disagreement with Rabat on this issue and the arrival of thousands of Moroccan migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Monday.
Moroccan and sub-Saharan migrants have set their sights on Melilla, the other Spanish enclave located on the Moroccan coast. More than 86 people managed to cross the barrier from Morocco, while the day before, 6,000 people had managed to reach Sebta by swimming, under the passive gaze of the Moroccan military.
Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, reacted to the massive arrival of Moroccan migrants in Sebta on Monday. She called on Morocco to "prevent irregular departures".