The president of Ceuta, Juan Vivas, has responded this Wednesday to the demonstrations made the day before by the Minister of Justice of Morocco, Abdellatif Ouahbi, who reiterated that his country maintains its aspirations over Ceuta and Melilla. The Ceuta leader emphasized that these considerations "have no foundation" because "Ceuta is Spain."
Vivas downplayed the possible effect of these statements on the mood of the Ceutans and denied that there is fear in the city. "There is no fear, none," he stressed in the appearance following the visit of the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles.
The president recalled that the Moroccan approach regarding the autonomous cities as "occupied" territories is not something recent, but a stance that the neighboring country "has said permanently." Even so, he reiterated that it is an "absolutely unfounded" thesis and that it "has no foundation."
"Ceuta is Spain," Vivas insisted, pointing out that this is supported by "history," "law," and, especially, the will of the city's own inhabitants. "The Ceutans want it. All the Ceutans. Pray as they pray and call themselves as they call themselves," he emphasized.
According to his assessment, the crisis triggered by the massive entry of people on July 30 has served to highlight the support for Ceuta both throughout Spain and within the city itself. "We are finding support from all political parties, from all Spanish society institutionally, personally, affirming: we are with you and Ceuta is Spain," he indicated.
For this reason, Vivas interprets that the words of the Moroccan minister, far from deteriorating the position of the autonomous city, contribute to consolidating it. "They confirm what Morocco has always said, but for us and the rest of the Spaniards, it strengthens us," he remarked.
Review of the relationship with Morocco after the massive entry
The Ceuta president has also demanded that Spain draw conclusions from what happened on July 30 and has defended that the massive entry cannot be dismissed as a simple migratory episode. In his view, it has been achieved that both the Government and "everyone" assume that what occurred was a "violation" and an "attack on the territorial integrity of Spain," and he warned that this qualification should guide the decisions made going forward.
Vivas has avoided commenting on the specific role that the Moroccan authorities may have played in the organization or development of the entry, claiming that he does not have enough data to do so. Nevertheless, he has considered it "impossible" that Rabat was unaware of the preparation of a movement of that magnitude. "I believe it is impossible that Morocco would not have found out about what was being organized," he pointed out.
At the same time, he has admitted that the return of the people who still remain in Ceuta largely depends on whether Morocco accepts the returns through diplomatic means. For this reason, he has set as a priority objective that those who remain in the city can return to their country "with the approval and support of the Moroccan authorities."
Vivas has warned, however, that the matter cannot be considered settled once the returns are completed. "This cannot end here," he said, demanding an analysis of what Ceuta needs and what Spain needs to prevent a similar episode from happening again.
In this line, he has argued that "nothing that is vital for Ceuta should depend on Morocco," whether it is the economic model, the ordinary functioning of the border, or migration pressure.
"We are worse" and an "unsustainable" situation
"The central idea has to be more Spain and more Europe," he has stated. "We are worse than when the week started."
Vivas has admitted that he does not feel more at ease after the presence in the city of several members of the Government, including the Minister of Defense. On the contrary, he has assured that the current scenario is more serious than at the beginning of the week. "We are worse than when the week started. And this is not just what I say, this is what the citizens perceive," he emphasized.
The president has explained that each day that passes without recovering normality means missing an opportunity to return to the situation prior to the massive entry. "Every day is a day that we are losing an opportunity to start the path back to normality," he has warned.
In his meeting with Robles, Vivas conveyed that the situation in the city is "unsustainable" and that the Ceutians are "deeply concerned, outraged, and abandoned." He assured that he perceived "understanding and agreement" from the minister, especially regarding the assessment of the events of July 30, which both consider not a typical migration crisis, but an "extraordinarily serious" episode that constituted an attack on Spanish territorial integrity.
The Ceutian leader has reiterated that the presence in the city of those who participated in the mass entry continues to disrupt daily life and has warned that this context has placed Ceuta "in a situation of maximum risk" from the perspective of national security.
Vivas has again demanded that the Government activate a plan to return to Morocco the people who remain in Ceuta and has questioned why, despite the seriousness of the moment, it has not yet been implemented. "If Morocco has said that it is willing to allow the return of the people who participated in the invasion and are here at this moment, why is it not being done?" he has asked.
The president has acknowledged that there may be "legal considerations" that need to be evaluated, but he has argued that there should also be sufficient political support to promote the necessary regulatory modifications that allow overcoming those obstacles and completing the return.
Defense Commitment and Call for Unity
As Vivas has explained, the Minister of Defense has guaranteed him that her department will spare no resources and will make all necessary resources available to the State Security Forces and Corps within its competencies. Likewise, he indicated that Robles has conveyed to him that the security of the border is assured thanks to the capabilities and means that the State has.
In light of this situation, the Ceutian president has once again appealed for political and social unity and has assured that, despite his criticism of the response offered so far, he will maintain "institutional loyalty, responsibility, and a sense of State."
"What is truly important is to save Ceuta, to convey tranquility, to value the integrity and maturity of the citizens of Ceuta," he concluded.