Just 48 hours before the arrival of the Spanish royal couple, the last beach in Ceuta was cleared of several hundred migrants who had been camping there for over seventy days. On Tuesday, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are set to arrive in the North African exclave for a historic visit. Both the central and regional governments aim to demonstrate their control over the situation following a significant influx of migrants from Morocco, emphasizing that Ceuta and Melilla will forever remain part of Spain.
This visit carries substantial political weight, as it marks the first trip by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to these cities since he ascended the throne in 2014. The last visit by a Spanish monarch occurred 19 years ago when King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía visited Ceuta and Melilla on consecutive days in November 2007. They stayed overnight in Málaga, while Felipe and Letizia plan to spend the night in Ceuta, a location historically significant as it has been nearly a century since Alfonso XIII, the current king's great-grandfather, reportedly spent a night on a ship in the harbor there in 1927.
The symbolic significance of this visit is heightened by the fact that the royal couple arrives just a day after Spain's National Day, where Felipe presided over a grand military parade in Madrid. Defense Minister Margarita Robles has reiterated that Ceuta and Melilla are "thoroughly Spanish." However, there is palpable anxiety in Madrid regarding Morocco's potential reactions, especially after the country reaffirmed its claims over the two exclaves during the recent migration crisis. Two ministers have referred to these territories as "occupied enclaves" that must return to the "bosom of the homeland."
In a clear warning to Spain, King Mohamed VI of Morocco recently recalled his ambassador from Madrid for consultations. During a speech before Parliament in Rabat, he made it explicit that he would not tolerate any "pressure, threats, or blackmail" from Spain. His remarks were widely interpreted as a critique of the right-wing opposition parties, particularly the Popular Party (PP) and Vox, who are perceived to be using the issue of migration for political leverage, potentially seeking to capitalize on public sentiment in upcoming elections.
Reports have surfaced indicating a military escalation following the surge of approximately 80,000 migrants from Morocco to Ceuta at the end of July. According to the newspaper El País, citing unnamed military sources, a Moroccan frigate and several patrol boats entered Spanish territorial waters without permission in early August, which Morocco does not recognize. The Spanish Navy subsequently dispatched a frigate and additional vessels to Ceuta in response to this incursion, a situation that was later confirmed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in discussions with journalists.
Not only has the Spanish opposition raised concerns, but members of the European People's Party (EVP) have also accused Morocco of orchestrating the July influx, a claim that Rabat vehemently denies. In 2021, Morocco had previously utilized thousands of migrants as a political tool in its conflict with Spain regarding Western Sahara.
In his address, King Mohamed VI expressed dissatisfaction with the existing migration cooperation between Morocco and Spain, as well as with the EU, labeling the current framework as "outdated" and indicating that Morocco would soon propose a new migration pact. Morocco has long argued that the EU's financial support is insufficient, with a four-year plan set to conclude this year allocating only 152 million euros for migration cooperation.
To avoid escalating tensions with Morocco, the leftist minority government in Madrid attempted to delay the royal couple's visit. The PP, Vox, and the regional government of Ceuta quickly called on the king to conduct a solidarity visit, which was officially announced only after the Moroccan parliamentary elections on September 23. This delay allowed the authorities to manage the situation in the exclave more effectively.
According to the central government, there are still over 6,000 migrants in Ceuta, including more than 2,800 minors, in a city with a population of around 80,000. The regional government estimates this number to be at least double, claiming that only about 4,000 have been registered thus far. Territorial Minister Ángel Víctor Torres reported that since August 10, approximately 12,000 individuals have returned to Morocco, with over 70,000 doing so within the first 24 hours.
There have been allegations from non-governmental organizations suggesting that Moroccan nationals were forcibly taken to the border crossing to return to Morocco. The newspaper El Mundo quoted migrants who claimed that Moroccan military personnel immediately transported many of them to the south of the country.
During their visit to Ceuta, the royal couple plans to engage in two notable gestures before continuing to Melilla on Wednesday. Felipe and Letizia will not only meet with officials but also interact with members of civil society who have played a crucial role in managing Spain's most significant migration crisis. They will participate in an interfaith memorial ceremony at the Muslim cemetery of Sidi Embarek, where 95 migrants have been laid to rest in unmarked white concrete graves since late July—a record number for any year.
As reported by faz.net.
