Spanish government in turmoil as Ceuta crisis deepens

A series of protests have erupted in various cities throughout Spain over the government's response to a recent influx of migrants to Ceuta, a Spanish exclave located on the North African coast. Opposition parties have accused Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of neglecting the issues faced by the residents of Ceuta, while the government claims that right-wing parties are capitalizing on the crisis.

According to a police report, Moroccan security forces exhibited "total permissiveness" during the unprecedented surge of migrants, following Sánchez's insistence that Morocco bore no responsibility. Sánchez has instead pointed the finger at trafficking gangs and online misinformation for driving people to cross the border. Morocco has denied orchestrating or participating in the mass exodus.

From July 30 to 31, a total of 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, with the majority returning, but around 5,000 remain in makeshift camps or scattered across the city's streets and beaches, leading to unrest and a crisis for Sánchez. Demonstrations by locals have been ongoing, with calls for migrants to be sent back to their respective countries or distributed across Spain.

The latest rallies, organized by city councils in opposition-led areas, have seen thousands gather, with demonstrators demanding Sánchez's resignation. Opposition leaders, including PP's Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Vox's Santiago Abascal, have criticized Sánchez, accusing him of being in the "service" of the Moroccan regime. In Ceuta itself, protesters chanted "Ceuta is not for sale, Ceuta must be defended."

The inadequate, delayed, and lacking response by the government has been emphasized by David Hernandez, a 45-year-old teacher, who stated that the city should not be marginalized and its border should be given proper attention. Pressure on Sánchez's administration has grown following Spanish media reports suggesting that CENIF's police report to the National Court points to the involvement of Moroccan gendarmes in the crossings.

Despite the report not explicitly blaming Morocco, the incident has further strained relations between the two countries. Social media posts circulating in August had portrayed the border fence between Morocco and Ceuta as easily traversable, despite at least 100 individuals losing their lives attempting to swim across. Spanish fact-checking website Maldita reported earlier in July that messages encouraging people to cross the border had been circulating on Moroccan social media, following a ruling by Spain's Supreme Court in June.