Spain PM Claims Morocco Border Control Failed During Ceuta Crisis

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Tuesday that a breakdown in Moroccan border controls was to blame for the recent migrant crisis in Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta, where more than 70,000 people crossed over in an unprecedented and deadly surge on July 30 and 31.

Most of those who entered returned to Morocco within hours, but several thousand have remained in the Spanish enclave, where conditions have since worsened, marked by episodes of violence and near-daily demonstrations from local residents.

Speaking in English during a CNN interview in New York, Sanchez said Spain is investigating what happened during those days in July, while also pressing Morocco for action and answers, since it’s clear the country’s border control failed. Speaking to parliament earlier on September 3, Sanchez said Madrid needed explanations and changes from Moroccan authorities to prevent a repeat of the influx, while stressing there was no solid proof that Morocco had orchestrated the crossings.

A Spanish police report reviewed by AFP found that the number of Moroccan police officers stationed near the border crossing was clearly smaller than usual at the time, and that the officers present made no serious attempt to stem the surge. The report drew on satellite imagery, open-source video and testimony from migrants themselves.

Since the crisis, the Spanish government has had to work through identifying the thousands of migrants still in Ceuta to determine whether they qualify for asylum, a process complicated by the presence of unaccompanied children, who cannot be summarily deported.

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