72 dead in Ceuta as migrant surge fuels Spanish far-right backlash
An unprecedented influx of up to 60,000 migrants into Spain's Ceuta exclave has left at least 72 people dead and ignited a fierce political backlash that threatens to escalate Europe's border debate.
Up to 60,000 people, mostly young men, breached the border of Spain’s North African exclave of Ceuta over Thursday and Friday, swelling the city's population of 84,000 by more than half. By Sunday, most had walked back to Morocco, shops had reopened, and the city’s terraces were filling with residents and tourists. The sudden return to normalcy belies the scale of the humanitarian disaster that unfolded on Europe's southern frontier.
Spanish authorities confirmed at least 72 migrants died, with civil guard ships still searching the waters near the urban beach where thousands breached the frontier. Some drowned, while others were killed in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier. Migrants who returned to Morocco described a border that was effectively open, with authorities doing little to stop the mass movement.
Political escalation
The unauthorised crossing of 50,000 to 60,000 people in just 48 hours has reignited Europe's fraught immigration debate. The crisis drew far-right figures seeking to capitalise on the chaos. Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain's Vox party, visited on Sunday and branded the event an invasion. “The frontiers of Ceuta and Melilla are the walls of our home and homeland, and they are not being protected by a corrupt and traitorous government,” he said.
Alvise Pérez, a far-right member of the European Parliament, faced angry counterprotests on Saturday and had to shelter in a bar until police escorted him away. The political grandstanding has exposed fractures in Ceuta's traditionally peaceful coexistence of Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu residents. Eva Barrientos, a local logistics worker, voiced fears over divided loyalties among foreign-born residents. “In Ceuta, we have always lived together. We have four cultures living very well, without any problems,” she said. “But the only thing we are realising now is that there is an enemy within.”
Other residents rejected the far-right narrative. Noor Ahmed, a 20-year-old student, denounced the visiting politicians as opportunists. “They just want to take advantage of the humanitarian crisis Ceuta is currently experiencing,” Ahmed said. Mohamad Abdelkader Driss, a local waiter, attributed the surge to a lack of authority rather than the migrants themselves. “If you open the border, of course everyone comes in, but the young men aren't to blame,” he said. “The authorities are responsible.”
Pope Leo XIV said on Sunday he was “following with concern the alarming situation in Ceuta, asking God … that solutions of peace, stability and justice may be found.” The pontiff recently emphasised migration as a priority during a visit to Spain’s Canary Islands, another primary entry point for migrants reaching Europe.
