The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, appears before Congress three days after the loud public confrontation with the Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, over the role played by the National Intelligence Center (CNI) during the days leading up to the Ceuta migration crisis. Robles caused great discomfort within the Government itself on Tuesday by repeatedly stating in her appearance in the lower house that the secret service, which depends on her and has 25 agents deployed in the North African town, warned that there was a lot of movement at the border with the risk of a massive crossing. Marlaska, responsible for having taken measures if aware of the threat, insisted almost simultaneously during the press conference after the Council of Ministers that “there was no report that foresaw” a massive entry of that magnitude, neither from the CNI nor from any intelligence service.
The clash of these two contradictory versions caused discomfort in the Government. Several ministers, the closest to President Pedro Sánchez, did not hide their discomfort with Robles’ statements, whom they already see as a loose cannon within the executive. Marlaska, who arrives this Friday at the Interior Commission at nine in the morning, knows he is supported not only by his colleagues but also by Sánchez himself. Sources from his team indicate that, therefore, in his first intervention he will avoid the controversy with Robles ― with whom he has had continuous frictions since they both took office in 2018 ― and will explain the past, present, and future actions of his department in Ceuta. However, he is aware that doubts about a possible CNI alert in the days before the migration crisis will be very present during the speaking turn of the groups. Then, the minister will defend, as he has done in the three public appearances he has had since the crisis broke out, his version, the same sources add.
The Government has delayed his appearance until the end of the month for a crisis that continues to be worrying. Thousands of people still wander the city looking for food, among them many minors. On the other hand, the citizens of Ceuta also request resources, security, and a response to their insecurities. On Thursday afternoon, in fact, about a hundred of them blocked the road to prevent the Red Cross from bringing food to El Trampolín beach, where hundreds of people who entered the city irregularly survive. And a group of neighbors burned part of the camp where these migrants live on Benítez Beach. The line of discourse set by the Government is a call for social peace and solidarity.
After Marlaska, it will be the turn of José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Elma Saiz, Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration. Both, like the Interior Minister, will also appear to report on the actions carried out by their departments in Ceuta. Albares will do so at twelve and Saiz at four.
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Their appearances will complete the puzzle of explanations from the four ministers who have already appeared before Congress in an attempt to reduce social and political tension (after them, it will be the turn on Monday of the Minister of Childhood, Sira Rego, and on September 3 of the Prime Minister). The Minister of the Presidency and Justice, Félix Bolaños, who attended the joint National Security commission of Congress this Thursday, has distanced his speech from self-criticism, although he has acknowledged that the autonomous city remains in a state of abnormality. On the other hand, he has supported Marlaska’s version and denied that the Government had data or reports warning about “the magnitude” of the arrival.
To address the problem, Ángel Víctor Torres, Minister of Territorial Policy and the highest authority of the unified command established by the Government, has committed in the same commission to work to “shorten the deadlines” in recovering that lost normality in the territory. Torres has called for the collaboration of the other groups and has adopted the gravest tone against this week’s incidents. The Minister of Health, Mónica García, has also defended the health management in Ceuta: “Housing, vaccinating, monitoring, and attending to migrants reduces the risk for the population.”
But the situation remains tense. Despite the agreement among the communities to approve this Thursday a credit of 25 million euros to help Ceuta, the disagreement continues when it comes to the distribution of unaccompanied immigrant minors. The agreement is stalled due to the PP’s refusal. Minister Sira Rego emphasized in a press conference after that meeting with the communities that, although the first option for these minors is family reunification, “in most cases there is no possibility of return.” “There, as a society, what corresponds to us is to welcome and care for those children,” she said. The Ministry has confirmed that for now 1,500 children are in Ceuta’s care system, although the NGOs working on the ground double that figure.
