The King of Spain met with the President of Ceuta and supported the call for increased border security

King Felipe VI of Spain received the President of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, this Thursday amid the migration crisis affecting the Spanish peninsula in African territory bordering Morocco. The meeting took place in an emergency context at the Marivent Palace in Mallorca, serving as the quickest way to exchange firsthand information about the situation.

Originally, King Felipe intended to visit Ceuta as a show of total support for Vivas, but ultimately the monarch's trip did not materialize because the Spanish government had to authorize the visit, which it refused to do.

In the days leading up to the meeting, Felipe VI followed the evolution of the crisis through phone conversations with Vivas himself, the President of Melilla, the head of the Spanish Government, and opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo. It was reported that the Royal House had already expressed its "great concern and indignation" over the events at the border during the weekend.

During those contacts, the king emphasized the need to respond with "unity and firmness," convey the State's support to the people of Ceuta, and prevent a situation of this nature from recurring.

The meeting took place while the city is trying to regain normalcy. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska reported that 72,000 immigrants arrived in Ceuta during last week's crisis, and nearly 70,000 have already returned or left Spanish territory.

Hours before the meeting with Felipe VI, Vivas presented the situation in Ceuta before a committee of the European Parliament, where he stated that the State's response is still insufficient to address the emergency.

"Security forces have not yet been deployed with the intensity required for what we are experiencing. Our security is in the hands of a third country, Morocco, which does not recognize our sovereignty," he asserted.

The leader also questioned the lack of reinforcements in immigration services, pointing out that they do not have sufficient resources to expedite rejection cases at the border.

Additionally, he described the humanitarian impact left by the crisis. According to his statements before the MEPs, about 100 people died during the mass entry recorded last week, and between 3,000 and 5,000 immigrants still remain in Ceuta, a situation that overwhelms reception centers and exacerbates the humanitarian emergency.

In light of this scenario, Vivas called for more security personnel, greater reinforcement for reception services, and broader participation from European Union agencies to address the consequences of the crisis. He also warned that the city remains "far from normalcy" and that the climate of uncertainty continues despite the passage of days.

"I had the honor of being received by His Majesty King Felipe VI at the Marivent Palace. I conveyed the situation in Ceuta and the need to restore normalcy. I appreciate his closeness, support, and affection towards all Ceutans," Vivas wrote on his X account after the meeting.

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