The King and the president of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, are holding a meeting this afternoon at the Marivent Palace, with which, in addition to analyzing the crisis caused by the illegal entry into the autonomous city of more than 70,000 people from Morocco, the head of state wants to express the support of the Crown and solidarity with the people of Ceuta.
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Vivas arrived at the royal family’s official summer residence just before 6 p.m. and, after being received by the head of the King’s Household, Camilo Villarino, he went to the main building where the King was waiting for him at the foot of the stairs. After posing for the media, they went to the office to hold a meeting.
The Ceuta government has indicated that the King’s audience with Juan Jesús Vivas is received as “institutional and moral support that has enormous value for the people of Ceuta in especially complex times, as well as a demonstration of the King’s commitment and interest in everything that happens in the city.” The same sources, according to the Efe agency, point out that with the meeting, the King shows the “sensitivity, closeness, and constant attention he has always demonstrated with Ceuta and that are now once again made evident.”
The autonomous city’s government has also recalled that the King has shown interest on several occasions in the situation in Ceuta and has been in telephone contact with Vivas whenever, due to various circumstances, complicated moments have been experienced in Ceuta. These contacts have intensified in recent days, and the King has been in contact both with the president of Ceuta and with Juan José Imbroda, president of Melilla. To both, now and previously, he has shown his willingness to visit the two autonomous cities, a trip that must be endorsed by the Government.
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 manner to the populations of Ceuta and Melilla the support and affection of the rest of Spain.” The note also affirmed 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.”
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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 during his 39 years of reign. More recently, Queen Sofía visited the Food Bank headquarters in Ceuta and Melilla.
Before going to Marivent, the president of Ceuta held a meeting with the president of the Govern, Marga Prohens, (both from the PP) at the Consolat de Mar. The Ceuta president, according to the Balearic executive in a statement, spoke with Prohens about the “serious situation” that the autonomous city continues to face. For her part, the Balearic president conveyed to the president of the autonomous city her concern about circumstances of “extraordinary complexity,” as well as her recognition of the response offered by the institutions and Ceuta society.
