Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, accompanied by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and military personnel, traveled to the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta on Friday, July 31st, 2026. This visit followed a massive and irregular border breach where tens of thousands of people entered Ceuta from Morocco in a single day.

Preliminary estimates indicate that around 49,000 people crossed into Ceuta irregularly in recent days, a sharp increase from the 1,500 to 2,000 estimated just 24 hours earlier. The Guardia Civil lost control of the border on Thursday, leading to the surge. At least 18 people died during the rush, many drowning and some dying in a stampede while crossing the breakwater fence.

The Spanish Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that military personnel were being deployed to assist at the border. In response to the situation, authorities have strengthened border controls and activated the Rapid Intervention Border Force for thorough checks. Despite reinforcements arriving to aid humanitarian efforts and assist the injured, people continue to enter Ceuta.

The cause behind the sudden influx remains unclear, with authorities still investigating what prompted such large crowds to seek entry.

Additionally, Finland's Interior Minister, from the right-wing populist Finns party, expressed support for a proposal related to Spain's Schengen membership in the context of the border situation.

Sources