Sánchez: "This is a violation of Spain's territorial integrity and deserves the strongest condemnation" PHOTO

The Spanish prime minister sent a message of support to the residents of Ceuta, saying that “all of Spain stands with them” and shares their “suffering.”

Sánchez described what happened as a “violation of Spain’s territorial integrity,” an action that, he said, “deserves our reproach and our condemnation at the strongest possible level.”

The prime minister also recalled that Melilla experienced a similar situation in 2021 and stressed that both autonomous territories require the government’s utmost attention.

In this context, he assured that the government would mobilize all necessary resources to maintain security in Ceuta.

Sánchez stressed that, according to discussions held with Moroccan authorities, the increase in illegal entries is the result of a “self-serving interpretation by criminal gangs” of a court ruling on the repatriation of people who enter by swimming, as they believe that in such cases there is no physical border.

He defended the government’s migration policy and stressed that Spain has managed to continuously reduce illegal migration flows.

“We have seen a systematic reduction in illegal arrivals of more than 30%,” he concluded.

The Spanish prime minister also thanked Morocco for its cooperation in ensuring the return of migrants “as quickly as possible.”

Sánchez blamed smuggling networks for “deceiving many young people” who attempted to reach Spain. He arrived in Ceuta accompanied by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, where he met with representatives of the police, the Civil Guard, and local authorities.

His visit was marked by protests and verbal clashes outside the helipad, as well as brief confrontations between demonstrators and police.