Ceuta's president gives Spain 30-day ultimatum, threatens judicial action over migration crisis

Ceuta's president escalates rhetoric

Juan Jesús Vivas, president of the autonomous city of Ceuta and member of the Partido Popular, delivered a 30-day ultimatum to the Spanish central government on August 17, threatening to appeal to judicial authorities if the migration crisis is not resolved. Speaking after an extraordinary Council of Government meeting at the Palacio de la Asamblea, Vivas accused the government of Pedro Sánchez of "pasividad casi absoluta" and of "maquillar la realidad" by claiming Ceuta had returned to normality within 48 hours of the mass entry. He stated that Ceuta "vive un estado de excepción" (lives in a state of exception).

The mass entry and its aftermath

Between 70,000 and 80,000 people entered Ceuta from Morocco on July 30 and 31, according to the sources, with most citing approximately 70,000 and one source reporting 80,000. Vivas described the episode as an "ataque a la integridad territorial de España" (attack on Spain's territorial integrity) and said the city "está en peligro" (is in danger). The central government stated that only 2,500 people remained 48 hours after the entry, but Vivas disputed this, estimating that between 8,000 and 10,000 people still remain in the city nearly 20 days later. He questioned the lack of precise information on how many people remain and how many return or expulsion proceedings have been initiated.

Proposed measures and timeline

Vivas insisted the central government has "capacidades suficientes" (sufficient capabilities) to restore normality within 30 days if there were political will. He proposed mobilizing 50 immigration officials to process approximately 15,000 return, transfer, or expulsion files per month. He argued that normality requires the return to Morocco of adults who entered Ceuta illegally. Vivas also lamented the lack of information on measures to economically "reactivate" Ceuta.

Three theories for government inaction

Vivas posed three possible explanations for the central government's passivity: "ineptitud" (ineptitude), "irresponsabilidad" (irresponsibility), or a desire to "no molestar al vecino" (not annoy the neighbor) and preserve "pseudo good relations" with Morocco. He expressed concern that the lack of a firm response could be part of a plan to "golpear sucesivamente a Ceuta hasta la caída definitiva" (repeatedly strike Ceuta until its definitive fall).

Appeal to other state institutions

Vivas announced his intention to bring the situation before the president of the Supreme Court and the president of the Constitutional Court, should they agree to receive him. He listed a broad range of institutions he plans to turn to, including the Cortes Generales, the judicial power, autonomous communities, the Federation of Municipalities and Provinces, business organizations, trade unions, and Europe.

Los ceutíes no nos vamos a rendir; el Gobierno es una parte muy importante del Estado, pero no es todo el Estado.

Clash with Health Minister

Vivas accused Health Minister Mónica García, who on August 16 demanded that the city government make sites available for migrants, of "desviar el foco" (diverting the focus) and behaving "incorrectly."

No puede venir a dar lecciones de humanidad; si hay un territorio donde la gente sufre como propio el sufrimiento de otros, con independencia del origen de la persona, es Ceuta y los ceutíes. Lecciones ninguna.