Defence orders cancellation of military permits in Ceuta from 13 August

The Spanish government has raised its alert level following a new call for unauthorized entry into Ceuta, despite uncertainty over the extent of such activity. The city-autonomous region, located on the northern coast of Africa, continues to face heightened tensions due to ongoing migration-related challenges. On Monday, August 17, 2026, President of Ceuta Juan Vivas expressed frustration with the federal administration’s response to the influx of approximately 70,000 individuals from Morocco into the territory during July 30 and 31. He accused the government of being passive and failing to address the situation effectively. Vivas emphasized that the incursion represented a direct threat to Spain's territorial integrity and called for immediate action to restore order. During an extraordinary cabinet meeting, Vivas stated that Ceuta was still in danger, citing the attack on national sovereignty as a serious issue requiring urgent intervention. He argued that the state possesses sufficient resources to return the city to normalcy within 30 days, yet this goal has not been achieved. According to Vivas, the current measures have not adequately addressed the problem, and the situation remains unresolved after nearly two weeks. He criticized the government for misleading the public by claiming that Ceuta had returned to normality within 48 hours, leaving only around 2,500 individuals remaining from the initial wave. Vivas noted that both citizens and his administration perceive that the city has not fully recovered, and that the actions taken so far lack the necessary speed and effectiveness. Vivas questioned whether the government's passivity stems from a desire to avoid provoking Morocco, suggesting that this could be a factor behind the slow response. He proposed three possible explanations for the lack of decisive action: incompetence, irresponsibility, or an intentional effort to maintain diplomatic relations with Morocco at the expense of Ceuta's security. In particular, Vivas expressed concern that the government might be avoiding confrontation with Morocco to preserve what he described as "pseudo good relations." This possibility worries him deeply, and he hopes that the situation will disprove such motives. He warned that a lack of firm action could lead to further attempts to destabilize Ceuta. Vivas argued that the government has the means to restore normalcy in Ceuta within 30 days if there is political will. However, he believes that the process has not yet begun. To accelerate the resolution, he suggested mobilizing 50 officials from the Ministry of Interior to handle the administrative processes required for repatriating adults who entered illegally. According to his calculations, these 50 officials could process up to 15 cases per day each, leading to 750 cases daily. Working five days a week, they would handle 3,750 cases weekly and approximately 15,000 monthly. Vivas insisted that this approach is not unrealistic and instead reflects a lack of commitment to resolving the issue promptly. He reiterated that the gravity of the incident necessitates an emergency mobilization of personnel to ensure the swift restoration of stability in Ceuta. The situation remains under close scrutiny, with the potential for further developments in the coming days.