Bárbara Royo puts irregular migrants in Ceuta at 40,000

Bárbara Royo puts the number of migrants in Ceuta at 40,000 and challenges the official narrative

The autonomous city of Ceuta is once again the focus of migration tensions in Spain. A visit by journalist Bárbara Royo, broadcast on social media, has peine the controversy over the real scale of migration pressure on the southern border. Royo claims that irregular migrants in Ceuta "number no fewer than 30,000 or 40,000", and accuses Pedro Sánchez's government of "hating Spain" and doing nothing to restore normality. The claim, made in an interview on the programme En Boca de Todos, has been widely shared on digital platforms but lacks official verification.

The figures that don't add up

The figure Royo cites contrasts with the data released in official statistics, which usually show a far lower total. Some argue that the mass arrivals recorded in recent years could have exceeded 100,000 people at times of acute crisis, a number the official statistics do not recognise. There is no consensus: while some believe the migrant presence in the city is far greater than admitted, others maintain that the official data are reliable and that the alarm is a political construction.

A worsening problem

Beyond the numbers, the situation in Ceuta is seen as a chronic problem that only keeps getting worse. Residents and visitors to the area describe a reality of saturation, with overwhelmed social services and a sense of institutional abandonment. The recent demonstration on the 2nd and growing public pressure reflect rising discontent, but the government's response is still perceived as insufficient.

The situation in Ceuta will not be solved with statements. If the scale described by Royo is close to reality, the pressure on resources will be unsustainable. But until there is a public, verifiable record, the controversy will keep fuelling debate without clarifying the substance.