The Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie is overwhelmed. Moreover, not only the gendarmes. Also the auxiliary forces. And the army. Sources in the fight against irregular immigration on both sides of the border confirm to this newspaper that Moroccan authorities are “overwhelmed” by a combination of factors. And that, after losing control of the bathing route between Castillejos and Ceuta, they reacted “with everything” to restore normality.
But one of these factors is something the regime is aware of: “35% of young people want to leave the country,” because of the temptation of Western life, because of the six years of droughtfor the lack of work…and because it is a more educated generation that feels it has access to the job market in Europe.
Others mention the fact that the region bordering Ceuta is full of tourists, the vast majority of them young. “They have nothing to lose if they jump into the sea, let’s see if they succeed… just the flip flops and towel they leave behind” explains an expert on the ground.
“And so many people, on a foggy day, one improvises, it seems as if he can, another dares…”
The Civil Guard takes over Tarajal beach to identify dozens of “menas” who came swimming from Morocco.
This is also what explains the swimming escapades this Sunday morning. But not so much the high figure that the Government Delegation in Ceuta has been counting for a week: “An average of 700 attempts per day“, with peaks, like Sunday, “up to 1,500 people”, many of them minors… and just “150 or 200 returns”.
The rest? “They are already in Spain, it is about hide for a while and make the jump to the peninsula“concludes the aforementioned expert.
“Overflow” over “collapse”
It is clear that Morocco is experiencing social tensions with its younger population. EU consulates are experiencing long lines of citizens outside their doors to sort out paperwork. “They are escaping the system because there is no democracy. People are buying votes and they don’t feel represented. And the majority have dual nationalityfrom different countries,” point out internal sources of the regime consulted by EL ESPAÑOL.
For example, Doctors and nurses leave for Germany. And for this reason, civil servants and teachers are already obliged to sign a document like the military in order to leave: the paper abandonment of the territory, for prevent them from returning home after a holiday abroad.
The last week of migrant arrivals in Ceuta would have been overwhelming in any situation. For the city, for its services, for the Spanish police and for the Moroccan gendarmerie. But in addition, these 700 entries (more than 4,000 in total) per day on average have only added to the “collapse” that the autonomous city was already suffering.
The government in Ceuta has been making constant appeals for “help” to Spain and its regional colleagues. “coordination and collaboration” It is politically total. But this does not translate into relief in its care centers for unaccompanied minors (MENAS), which are at 360% of their capacity.
The CETI for adults comes out every week, with exceptional transfers to the Presqu’île. “It’s about never exceeding 50%, if possible,” explains another source, “to welcome new arrivals”which these days number in the hundreds.
The Interior Ministry sent reinforcements last week, with 20 additional Civil Guard agents. And Rabat did the same, populated by agents and soldiers from all branches around the border.
The sources consulted assure that there was no political intention or relaxation. Moncloa is sure of it. And Rabat insists that the latest episodes are not a response to the anger of the regime. Mohamed VI with the journey of Pedro Sanchez to Mauritania, Gambia and Senegal.
And what’s more, Rabat even collaborated to ensure that this tour went well… in exchange for fishing agreements This also benefits you. Because in addition to the unstable economic situation in the country, Moroccan cauldrons are starting to become scarce.
Friction points
But the Spanish government is also aware that In Morocco it didn’t go well the trip made last week by the Spanish Minister of Defense. Marguerite Robles visited military detachments in the Spanish islets off the coast of Moroccoending his journey in the Chafarinas.
And the Government Delegation in Melilla has detected a greater influx of aspiring migrants to the surroundings of MelillaThis autonomous city, so far less affected by attacks on immigrants than in other years, and almost none at all compared to Ceuta, is already on alert.
A month ago, the Alawite regime thwarted its attempt to A hundred citizens entering Melilla via the Beni Ensar land pass. Of course, according to sources, helicopters have been deployed in the area to monitor the borders.
In addition, the Rabat prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into an incident that occurred last weekend which could criminally affecting the civil guards who were occupying a patrol boat which crashed into a boat.
The images are very striking and explicit. The small boat was occupied by four people: three migrants and the crew member. The Civil Guard boat flew over them and threw some of them into the sea. Despite the aggressive boarding, there were no deaths and only one fell into the water and was treated in hospital, now out of danger.
Official Spanish sources acknowledge that they were migrants and not drug traffickers as initially reported. And the Moroccan press details that One of the three passengers could be an underage girl.
The boat was probably stolen, according to our sources. They were to be brought before the court of first instance in Nador on Tuesday. The Civil Guard handed them over to the Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie in the waters of Melilla, in a “dangerous operation” of hot return.
But for Rabat, these waters are under Moroccan jurisdiction. And they will not let the incident pass.
