The King will receive tomorrow Thursday, at the Marivent palace, the president of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Juan Vivas, as announced this Wednesday by the Zarzuela. The audience, a gesture of rapprochement and support to the people of Ceuta, will allow the head of State to learn firsthand what the situation in Ceuta is when a week has passed since the serious events that involved the illegal entry into Spanish territory of around 70,000 people, mostly Moroccans.
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Although, on repeated occasions, and more in recent days, the head of State has conveyed to the presidents his willingness to visit the two autonomous cities, the decision to do so depends on the Government.
In the last week, the King has been in permanent contact with both Vivas and Juan José Imbroda, president of the Autonomous Community of Melilla. He has called them several times by phone, especially Vivas, since the situation in Ceuta, despite the voluntary return of most of the people who crossed the border illegally or entered by sea, returned to Morocco.
Last Saturday, the King expressed his “great concern and indignation” over the events of the 30th. In a message, made public by the Zarzuela, it was stated that “the King believes it necessary to adopt all those measures that convey in a united, clear and decisive way to the populations of Ceuta and Melilla the support and affection of the rest of Spain.” The note also stated that “the State must ensure their security and prevent these events – which have also resulted in a sad and tragic loss of dozens of lives – from happening again.”
Since his proclamation, twelve years ago, the King has not visited either of the two autonomous cities, although in his conversations with the presidents of Ceuta and Melilla he has expressed his desire to do so, a visit that would have to be endorsed by the Government.
Princess Leonor was in Ceuta during a stopover of the frigate Blas de Lezo, as part of the final stage of her training as a midshipman lady. Juan Carlos I made a historic visit to each of the two autonomous cities in 2007, the only one in his 39 years of reign.
President Vivas, far from considering the problem mitigated, has remained firm in denouncing the situation of insecurity and defenselessness experienced by the people of Ceuta.
In the audience he held at the Zarzuela on September 22, 2023, President Vivas already conveyed to the King “the risks and threats that affect our city, unparalleled in the rest of Spain, except for the case of Melilla” which, according to his words, “require a State strategy, determined and consistent, that generates confidence in the future of our city and that, basically, is focused on enhancing the presence of the State, supporting economic development and employment, having a well-equipped border that functions according to its condition as an external border of the European Union, and guaranteeing respect for our inalienable sovereignty within the framework of good relations with the neighboring country that we all desire.”
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