PNV, Junts and Vox raise their criticism of the Government on the management of the Ceuta crisis after Bolaños' appearance: "Where has the State been?"

This Thursday, the appearances at their own request in the Congress of Deputies of the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, the Minister of Health, Mónica García, and the Minister of Territorial Policy and single command in the management of the migratory crisis in Ceuta, Ángel Víctor Torres, are taking place. The first to give explanations was Bolaños, who has conveyed the reinforcement of Justice in the autonomous city, has explained the massive entry due to two "hoaxes" and has assured: "The State is fully committed to restoring normality."

However, in the turn of reply of the rest of the parliamentary groups, they have raised the tone criticizing the management of the Executive of Pedro Sánchez. In this regard, the first to do so was the PNV deputy Mikel Legarda, who has expressed the "inaction" of the Government in the face of the massive entry of people through the border with Morocco between July 30 and 31. However, he has admitted that "since day 25, it does seem that it is becoming aware of the seriousness of the situation." For the party, "the Government did not properly dimension what was happening" and consequently, this will cause "a perception in Spanish society that will have political repercussions in social consciousness." "The question is inevitable: where has the State been?"

Subsequently, the floor was given to Junts deputy Josep Pagès, who stated: "What your Government has shown is that you are incapable of managing borders and migratory flows. You have shown that you act out of political interests." "Catalans are not going to pay for the Government's incompetence," the Catalan continued.

"They said it was the mafias and it wasn't true. The question any citizen asks is: what does Morocco know about you, where do they have you held? There is no other possible explanation. A government that has been subjected to hybrid threats and does not protest, that means something is happening here," concluded the Junts representative present at the minister's appearance.

The far-right party Vox has taken the same line. Thus, the parliamentary spokesperson for Vox, Pepa Millán, has argued that the Government has left "the people of Ceuta sold out against an army of armed men." "You blame everyone for the invasion except Morocco and your incapacity," she reproached.

The Minister of the Presidency explains the Government's response in Congress

The first to appear before the Lower House at the Joint National Security Commission was Bolaños, who began: "I want to send a message of confidence to the citizens of Ceuta. The state is fully committed to restoring normality." 

During his speech, the minister insisted on the need to transmit confidence to the citizens of Ceuta and defended that the Government is working to restore normality as soon as possible. "We are working tirelessly until normality is restored. We are all aware of the dimension of what happened on July 30 and 31. 70,000 people entered the city of Ceuta," he pointed out.

Bolaños explained that the Executive is facing the crisis from three areas. "We address the challenge from three different points of view: first, the need to ensure public order, strengthen the capacities of institutions and public services, and guarantee social tranquility in Ceuta. This is a demand from the Ceutan population that we are addressing and that we have been doing for two days with the national security declaration," he explained.

The minister placed among the main challenges the humanitarian assistance for the people who arrived in the city, ensuring their basic needs, and the development of procedures for their return. At this point, he expressly asked to avoid hate speech. "Let's avoid any racist and xenophobic discourse."

At the same time, he defended that the return of the people remaining in Ceuta must be carried out with all guarantees and within the law. "Return of these people respecting the law," he affirmed.

Bolaños also assured that the Government will maintain the deployment of resources as long as necessary and guaranteed that it will provide "all necessary resources" until normality is restored.

90% of migrants have already returned

Bolaños highlighted that around 90% of the people who entered Ceuta have already returned to Morocco. "Spain is a border country, and this means that we have to face great challenges and complex situations. Spain has this challenge for being a country in southern Europe, but we have the capacity to face and overcome them," he affirmed.

Bolaños has also defended that the response to the situation in Ceuta must count on the collaboration of other autonomous communities and not fall solely on the State. In this sense, he has claimed territorial solidarity as a tool for the city to recover normality. “We do not proclaim solidarity, we exercise it, in Europe and in Spain. It is not very patriotic to wrap oneself in the flag of Spain in Ceuta, but to deny Ceuta that the rest of the autonomous communities can collaborate in the normalization of this city,” he has exclaimed.

Finally, the minister has rejected any discriminatory treatment towards migrants based on their origin or appearance and has defended that the actions of institutions must preserve their dignity. “If someone comes up with the idea of defending that someone who has entered our territory, for having another skin color or another nationality, does not deserve us to respect their dignity, this is neither social nor human nor corresponds to the spirit of our Constitution,” he concluded.