Sumar called on 26 August in the Congress of Deputies the unaccompanied minors from Ceuta to be moved immediately to mainland Spain, wherever a safe return to their families is not possible. The MP and spokesperson Alberto Ibáñez accused PSOE of taking an overly lenient line towards Morocco in connection with the latest migration crisis in the enclave, and referred to a “Stockholm syndrome” with regard to King Mohammed VI. He also criticised the fact that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was arriving too late to explain the government’s strategy.
Ibáñez cited the mass arrivals on 30 July as the trigger, describing them as a “hybrid attack on Spain’s sovereignty”. In addition to the swift relocation of children and young people, Sumar is calling for an end to the outsourcing of border control to Morocco and for clearly differentiated, protection-focused care for those remaining in Ceuta. In Sumar’s view, checks on age, identity and family ties should be carried out on the mainland within coordinated structures governed by the rule of law.
Government sources recently said that they were working on a plan to accommodate around 500 unaccompanied minors. However, no binding decisions with specific deadlines had been made public by Wednesday. Several autonomous communities indicated differing positions on receiving them: some said they were willing to take part, while others announced legal action against centrally organised relocations. The European Commission had already reminded Spain the previous week of its duty to protect the best interests of the child.
Politically, Sumar’s intervention increases pressure on the executive. While Ibáñez explicitly praised the police operation on 30 July, his party is questioning strategic cooperation with Rabat and calling for a tougher diplomatic response to events in the Strait. In recent days, the PSOE has rejected accusations of inaction, pointing to ongoing discussions between the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Youth and Childhood, the Ministry of Justice and the regions.
The statements by Alberto Ibáñez quoted here come from his press conference in Congress. The description of the July events as a “hybrid attack” is Sumar’s political characterisation. At the time of publication, no legally binding decree on the central government’s operational decisions to transfer unaccompanied minors immediately was available; further steps depend on coordination with the autonomous communities and the courts.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).