Spanish journalist Jorge Fernández Díaz criticized Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government in an opinion column published Tuesday for its handling of what Sánchez himself called a grave violation of Spain's territorial integrity, the entry of 72,000 undocumented migrants from Morocco into the Spanish city of Ceuta.
Fernández Díaz wrote that instead of confronting Morocco, Sánchez's government moved to restrict free movement in the Schengen area for Italian tourists and travelers. He said the move appeared aimed at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whom Sánchez has described as representing the far right he opposes, in order to satisfy allies within his governing coalition.
He suggested that such apparent submission to Morocco could only be explained by confidential information linked to the Pegasus spyware case, though he did not provide evidence for the claim. He also wrote that the party Vox has proposed invoking Article 102 of the Spanish Constitution to accuse the prime minister of a crime of treason or against state security, something he said had never before happened in Spain.
Economic toll in Ceuta
The column cited the Ceuta Chamber of Commerce, which estimated business losses of about 28 million euros stemming from the July 30 invasion.
Fernández Díaz wrote that alarms have also been raised over calls for a new, similar mass crossing planned for Saturday, August 15. He said this had led to leave permits being limited or withdrawn for both national security forces and military personnel stationed in Ceuta.
Paraglider crossings and legal debate
According to the column, authorities have also detected attempts to enter Spanish territory by paraglider, one of which ended in a fatal accident. Fernández Díaz argued that a Supreme Court ruling should apply equally to migrants who enter by swimming without obstruction as to those who attempt to enter by air without obstruction.
He closed by insisting that Ceuta and Melilla are as Spanish as any other city in the country, whether on the mainland or the islands, and that the two cities are neither the parents nor the guardians of unaccompanied irregular minors.
