Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has defended his government’s response to the migration crisis in Ceuta, where about 80,000 migrants reportedly attempted to enter the Spanish enclave at the end of July.
Speaking during an hour-long interview with state television, Sanchez said Spain needed to improve its preparedness for what he described as “hybrid attacks”, given Ceuta and neighbouring Melilla’s strategic location on Africa’s northern coast.
He said the two autonomous cities had a “very, very important uniqueness” because they share land borders with Africa, making them particularly vulnerable to sudden migration pressures.
Sanchez has faced growing criticism over the prolonged humanitarian situation in Ceuta, where the arrival of thousands of migrants has strained the small community’s limited facilities and angered residents.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the need to expand reception capacity, saying Spain required “larger reception infrastructures for migrants arriving”.
He also defended the country’s intelligence services, saying they had played an important role in anticipating potential migration flows, but acknowledged that predicting the scale of such influxes was an area that needed improvement.
“This is one of the elements we need to improve,” he said.
Sanchez also confirmed that King Felipe VI would visit Ceuta, although he declined to give a specific date for the visit.
For about a month, migrants have been living in makeshift tents on a beach in the enclave, where they reportedly receive only about one meal a day supplied by the Red Cross.
The makeshift camp has also become a focal point for protests, with demonstrators demanding that the migrants be removed from Ceuta.
The protesters have accused the Spanish government of negligence in its handling of the migration crisis and called for urgent action to address the situation.
