Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia visit Ceuta

On Tuesday, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain paid a visit to Ceuta, marking the first royal tour of the city since 2007. The royal couple arrived to address local leaders and meet with residents still recovering from a major border incident with Morocco. This visit is significant as it is the first royal trip to Ceuta and Melilla, Spain's two exclaves in the region. Crowds gathered excitedly to greet the royals, with some feeling that national authorities were finally acknowledging their struggles.

In late July, approximately 80,000 refugees attempted to cross the border fence from Morocco into Spain. The incident resulted in over 140 deaths, drawing international attention to Ceuta's 84,000 residents. Despite the majority of refugees being turned back to Morocco, locals complained about inadequate assistance from national officials for around 10,000 migrants who remained in the city. Some migrants accused Spanish police of brutality and other abuses.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has accused groups linked to Russia and Israel of spreading misinformation about potential changes in Spain's immigration rules. The border dispute has also strained diplomatic relations between Spain and Morocco, as the latter does not acknowledge Madrid's control over Ceuta, which has been under Spanish rule for centuries. It remains to be seen how Morocco's response will be to King Felipe's visit.