Spain under pressure as 67 migrants die in Ceuta border rush, Schengen status questioned

Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta faced an unprecedented migrant crisis as tens of thousands arrived from Morocco over a few days, overwhelming the local population and the Spanish government. The influx, reportedly around 60,000 people, significantly exceeded the enclave's resident population of 84,000.

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It is evident that we had no information.

The Spanish government admitted it was caught off guard, with a high-ranking official telling El País, "It is evident that we had no information." Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez denounced the "selfish" attitude of some EU countries and requested an urgent video conference of interior ministers. Twenty-two EU leaders, including those from Italy and Germany, supported this call to address the situation created by the illegal entry of migrants.

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selfish

Authorities emphasized that irregular entry into Ceuta does not grant migrants the right to stay in Spain or travel to mainland Europe, citing Schengen area regulations. They confirmed that none of the individuals who entered irregularly had left for the continent. Despite the government's claims that the situation was "almost" back to normal, the crisis resulted in at least 67 migrant deaths. The Spanish Interior Ministry reported that over 48,000 people who arrived illegally had already been returned to Morocco.

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almost