The week concludes with events in Ceuta, where an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 migrants arrived in the last 24 hours. Amid a state of emergency and dozens of people dying while attempting to reach the region by swimming, the governments of Morocco and Spain are cooperating to resolve the issue. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, visited the region on Friday and noted that the situation 'violates the trend of decreasing illegal flows.'
On the Moroccan side, the situation has led to clashes, car burnings, and acts of violence. Images presented in the gallery demonstrate the situation on the Moroccan side of the border in Fnideq. It was in this city that international media reported 'fierce clashes' this morning as hundreds of people attempted to cross the border towards Spain.
Spanish television also broadcast footage showing hundreds of people returning to Moroccan territory on the same day.
How many people are in Ceuta?
Spain's Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, calculated that about 25,000 people who reached Ceuta have already returned to Morocco. This report was made on Monday afternoon, and according to the agency, returns are voluntary.
The official added that returns are occurring at a 'rate of 150 people per minute.' According to Sky News, if the estimates are correct, this means there are still between 35,000 and 60,000 people in Ceuta.
Sánchez again pointed to the influence of mafias, accusing them of an 'interesting interpretation' of the Spanish Supreme Court's ruling from earlier this month. He stated that this interpretation 'spread like wildfire' in Morocco in recent days and 'caused an avalanche of characteristics and scale' of images showing crowds of people.
According to migrants, a 'call effect' occurred due to this ruling, whereby people illegally arriving in the country by sea cannot be immediately returned by the authorities of another state.
The President of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivás, had previously criticized this 'loophole' to Spanish media, which makes it legally more advantageous to arrive by swimming than to jump over the fence, as it contributes to increasing crossings.
Today, Sánchez stated that the Guardia Civil will also install 'buoys [...] to comply with the Supreme Court's ruling and, at least, create a containment barrier—a physical barrier so that, at least visually, repatriation can occur at the border.' According to Juan Jesús Vivás, about 60,000 people entered in 24 hours, whereas the Spanish government states 50,000.
