Spanish officials have announced that nearly all of the 50,000 to 60,000 migrants who recently entered the North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco have since returned. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that practically all those who entered Ceuta have gone back to Morocco, emphasizing that not a single person crossed to mainland EU. He also reiterated that reaching the Spanish mainland without proper identification remains impossible, addressing criticisms from other EU member states regarding border control and freedom of movement. This effectively resolves the situation, with Albares declaring the episode over.
The influx had caused a significant humanitarian crisis, with Ceuta's president initially reporting 60,000 migrants, equivalent to 70% of the territory's population. Spain's Interior Ministry estimated 50,000 crossings, with 48,300 having returned by Friday evening. The Spanish government deployed armed forces and additional police to restore order, and an inflatable maritime barrier was established to prevent further illegal entries. The swift return of migrants has been attributed to cooperation between Spain and Morocco, though the crisis also highlighted divisions within the EU, with some countries like Italy, Finland, and Denmark expressing concerns and temporarily suspending Schengen arrangements with Spain.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized the "selfish" response of some EU countries, while acknowledging the support of others. He clarified that Ceuta is not part of the Schengen area, but emphasized that Spain had fully restored control over the border and prevented any unauthorized movement towards continental Europe within 48 hours. EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner confirmed that no migrants crossed to the EU mainland. Tragically, the crisis resulted in at least 67 migrant deaths. The Spanish Supreme Court's ruling against summarily returning migrants stopped at sea was reportedly misinterpreted by human trafficking networks, contributing to the surge.
