Spanish authorities and local officials say as many as 60,000 people surged from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in a single wave this week, a mass crossing that Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas, put at 60,000. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez traveled to Ceuta as the government called the influx a crisis and blamed human-trafficking gangs for organizing the movement. News outlets and Spain’s Interior Ministry reported large-scale returns to Morocco: the Interior Ministry said more than 37,500 people had been returned as of Friday afternoon while other reports put voluntary returns near 25,000. The death toll is still being tallied; AP reported at least 41 migrants died attempting the crossing while Ceuta’s president cited at least 34 deaths in early counts. Moroccan security forces were reported using batons and tear gas to try to repel crowds at Ceuta’s gates, and Spanish officials described the situation as a diplomatic and political emergency for Madrid. The surge has already prompted rapid returns and heightened bilateral tensions between Spain and Morocco, and Spanish leaders say the next steps will focus on stopping trafficking networks and restoring border control.
