A ministerial order has put Madrid in control of Ceuta’s port, clearing the way for a temporary camp for more than 1,000 migrants. The order followed the port board’s rejection of the plan, despite earlier agreements. The board is led by appointees of Ceuta’s president, Juan Jesús Vivas.
For weeks, Madrid and Ceuta’s city government had discussed where to place new migrant facilities. After Vivas rejected other options, including the military hospital and sports centers, both sides accepted the port’s unused land. But when formal approval came up, the port’s board blocked the project, citing security risks tied to the site’s proximity to schools and fuel storage. Eleven members representing the city and port businesses outvoted the four central government representatives.
After the mass crossing from Morocco on July 30 and 31, about 5,000 people remained in Ceuta, including approximately 1,200 to 1,600 minors, information from official sources, Reuters reported.
Transport Minister Óscar Puente invoked Article 73.3 of the ports law and issued an order overriding local objections, allowing the Ministry of Inclusion to proceed. The government argues that the tents are temporary, not permanent housing, and that national interests take priority. Madrid used a similar approach during the Hantavirus crisis in the Canary Islands, bypassing regional opposition to manage a public emergency.
Work on the camp had already started when port officials halted it. The ministerial order is now in place, and construction is resuming on 16,000 square meters in the port’s western extension. The government says it will take all necessary security measures to address concerns about nearby infrastructure and schools. Vivas’s team’s reversal has left Madrid frustrated.
Behind the legal steps lies a growing political rift. The Sánchez government accuses Vivas of blocking crisis management for local political gain, noting that Madrid is covering costs and logistics of up to 309 million euros for Ceuta, while Vivas’s public opposition boosts his popularity. The city’s refusal to authorize the transfer of unaccompanied minors to the mainland, despite severe overcrowding, has worsened relations. As reported earlier, the deadlock has left hundreds of vulnerable minors in limbo.
On August 30, the Spanish government announced an emergency aid package of €165 million to help Ceuta manage migration pressure and speed up the accommodation and return of migrants. Authorities also confirmed plans to expand reception capacity in Ceuta to 6,000 places in the near term. About 3,300 places were already available at the time, Euronews reported.
The port board’s stated grounds for blocking the camp, including risks to commercial areas, the site’s proximity to a primary school and nearby fuel reserves, were known when the original agreement was reached. Government sources say these objections are now being used to delay action, even as thousands of migrants remain on Ceuta’s streets, complicating identification and repatriation. The government argues that moving people into controlled facilities is the only way to begin the legal process of returning adults and, where possible, minors.
Madrid’s intervention carries risks. Public sentiment in Ceuta is hostile to new migrant facilities, and protests are possible. Still, the government says leaving migrants unsheltered while city services are overwhelmed is not an option. The port’s rejection letter triggered the legal clause that allowed the minister to take control, leaving local officials with no further veto.
This episode exposes the limits of consensus when local and national interests clash. By overriding Ceuta’s leadership, the government has shifted Spain’s migration response and signaled that Madrid will no longer accept local vetoes blocking urgent action. The city’s leadership continues to appeal to local fears as Madrid handles the fallout. The central government has chosen direct intervention despite the risk of deepening local resentment.
