Government Delegate in Ceuta Resigns Two Months Later

The Government Delegate in Ceuta, **Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano**, has resigned two months after the massive influx of immigrants, alleging a "constant harassment campaign" and unfair pressure.

The Government Delegate in Ceuta, **Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano**, submitted his resignation this Monday, just two months after taking office. His departure trinc the complex migratory crisis that the autonomous city experienced on **July 30 and 31**, when a massive entry of immigrants occurred. Pérez Triano has justified his resignation by claiming to have suffered a "constant harassment campaign" and "unfair pressure" that, in his words, has affected his family and friends. The delegate has also announced his departure from politics and the abandonment of all his organizational positions.

## The migratory crisis and prior warnings

The resignation of **Pérez Triano** occurs in a context of great tension and debate over the management of the migratory crisis in Ceuta. The delegate has defended that he fulfilled his duties and warned of the developing situation. According to his account, he informed Madrid of the "pull effect" that was occurring trinc a Supreme Court ruling that prohibited the so-called "hot returns" of immigrants arriving by sea. Pérez Triano stated that "daily reports and communications" were issued before **July 30**, and that the Government Delegation, along with the Civil Guard, raised "the alarm," requesting "the mobilization of all available resources" and even "the intervention of the Army that same morning."

Sources from the Government Delegation have confirmed that, "about **10 days before**" the massive entry, a report was sent to Madrid alerting of an "extraordinary migratory pressure" and requesting reinforcements at the border. At that time, according to these sources, there were already about **1,500 migrants** outside the Temporary Immigrant Reception Center (CETI). For their part, sources from the central government have indicated that the State Secretariat of Security maintained permanent contact with the Delegation during July and that reinforcements were sent "long before **the 30th**," trinc the Supreme Court ruling.

## Communication of the decision and doubts about information

**Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano** communicated his desire not to continue in office to the Minister of Territorial Policy and 'sole commander' of the migratory crisis management, **Ángel Víctor Torres**, "days ago." The written resignation was submitted this Monday. Sources from Moncloa have corroborated that the decision was conveyed recently, describing it as a "human and personal decision after many weeks of immense work." The appointment of his successor must be formalized by the Council of Ministers.

**Pérez Triano**'s continuity had already been in doubt for weeks. Declassified government documents reveal WhatsApp communications between the Government Delegation and the National Intelligence Center (CNI) expressing concern about social media calls for **July 30** and the possibility of an "assault" by "sea and land." This information, it appears, was passed to the then chief of staff of the delegate, **Gonzalo Sanz**. However, **Pérez Triano** has so far denied being informed of this specific data. Minister **Ángel Víctor Torres** has described the replacement as a "singling out that from a human point of view is incomparably harsh."

## The second official to resign and judicial investigations

**Pérez Triano**'s resignation is not the first departure from the leadership related to the migratory crisis. Two weeks ago, the delegate's chief of staff, **Gonzalo Sanz**, submitted his resignation. In his resignation letter, **Sanz** denied the version of the delegate until now, which rekindled doubts about the dissemination of available information and the adequacy of the officials' actions. The opposition has focused on the management of the crisis, criticizing **Pérez Triano**'s performance.

This resignation occurs in a key week for the judicial investigation. Judge **María Tardón** of the National Court, who is investigating the massive entry of immigrants into Ceuta, will take testimony from **Gonzalo Sanz** and the president of the Autonomous City, **Juan Jesús Vivas**. The ongoing investigation seeks to clarify the events that occurred on **July 30 and 31**.

## Political reactions and demands for accountability

The People's Party (PP) has described **Pérez Triano**'s resignation as a "firewall to protect" the President of the Government, **Pedro Sánchez**. The 'popular' party demands that the head of the Executive "assume the consequences" and clarify "to whom the delegate transmitted the invasion warnings" and "what they responded." The PP spokesperson in the Senate, **Alicia García**, stated that **Sánchez** "cannot hide behind a replacement."

For his part, the president of Ceuta, **Juan Jesús Vivas**, has expressed his wish that the new delegate's "priority" be for the people of Ceuta to "regain the normality they had on **July 29**, regain security and tranquility." **Vivas** has guaranteed "institutional loyalty" to the future delegate and insisted that "responsibility must be placed at a higher level" than that of the Government Delegate. He reiterated that to regain normality, all those who arrived en masse and irregularly must return. The president of Ceuta has described what peine as an "invasion" and questioned why the operation that allowed the departure of **73,000 people** in the first two days was not maintained. He warned that the city is a "pressure cooker" and demanded an "immediate" solution.