Thousands of demonstrators marched in cities across Spain to denounce the government’s handling of the Ceuta migrant crisis, demanding tougher action and, in some cases, the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Opposition parties accused Sánchez of abandoning residents of the Spanish exclave on the north African coast, while the government said right-wing groups were exploiting the situation for political gain.
On Wednesday a police report stated that Moroccan security forces showed “total permissiveness” during the unprecedented influx, a finding that came days after Sánchez said Morocco was not responsible. He has attributed the mass crossings to trafficking networks and online misinformation. Moroccan authorities have denied orchestrating or facilitating the episode.
Officials said at least 72,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July. Most later returned, but as many as 5,000 remain in makeshift camps, on streets, or along the beach, fueling unrest in the autonomous city and intensifying pressure on Sánchez.
Local protests have taken place almost daily, with demonstrators calling for the migrants to be returned to their countries of origin or redistributed to other parts of Spain.
Wednesday’s nationwide rallies were organized by city councils where the conservative Partido Popular and the far-right Vox party govern or hold strong influence. Marchers called on Sánchez to step down.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo attended the Madrid demonstration, where more than 50,000 people gathered, according to government figures. “A Spanish city has been invaded, occupied and, unfortunately, this happened with the knowledge of the Government of Spain,” he said.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal said Sánchez was “at the service, like a lackey, of the Moroccan regime.”
Ceuta migrant crisis sparks political showdown
The government has rejected the opposition’s accusations, insisting it is coordinating security and humanitarian responses in Ceuta and working with Moroccan counterparts while pursuing actions against smuggling networks. The dispute over responsibility and response has widened Spain’s political rift as tensions remain high in the enclave.
The dispute over responsibility and response has widened Spain’s political rift as tensions remain high in the enclave, echoing concerns seen in other regional flashpoints such as Houthi strikes raise risk of Yemen’s return to full war.
Officials said at least 72,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July, a figure that has drawn scrutiny from international observers and agencies including the UN refugee agency.