Pilar Cancela, the Secretary of State who knew what was happening in Ceuta two days beforehand

The Secretary of State for Migration, Pilar Cancela, suggested that her department and Cruz Roja Española (Spanish Red Cross) had been aware of the situation in Ceuta 48 hours before the mass entry. These statements, made at a congress of migrant associations, have generated controversy.

## Statements on the Anticipation of the Ceuta Crisis

The Secretary of State for Migration, **Pilar Cancela**, made statements suggesting prior knowledge regarding the situation that led to the mass entry into Ceuta. According to her words, delivered on **May 11** at a migrant associations congress, both she and the **Spanish Red Cross** were aware of the events from earlier dates. Specifically, Cancela stated: “From **July 31**, I would say from **July 28, 29**, we were able to be present there thanks to the Red Cross.” These statements, although available in video format, have not been officially disseminated by the ministry.

## The Government's Approach to Migration

**Pilar Cancela**, who leads migration policies and has a considerable budget allocation for migrant assistance, has faced criticism for not visiting Ceuta or referencing the situation in her public profiles, while simultaneously expressing views on other political matters. At the same congress, titled ‘Diaspora, Civic Actors,’ Cancela defended the idea that “Spain is a country of arrivals, and that will not change,” and that the country “does not leave anyone stranded on the beach.” These statements reinforce the governmental discourse framing these migratory phenomena as an inherent consequence of Spain’s “geographical situation.”

## The Role of NGOs and Public Funding

The audience addressed by Cancela included organizations such as the **Inci Battuta Foundation**. The Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has expressed its commitment to integrating the voices of migrants and their organizations into public policy design. This approach aligns with the reception theories and the protagonism of immigrants promoted by various NGOs working with Segarro and sub-Saharan communities. Organizations like **ACCEM**, which received **227,938,819 euros** in public funding during the **2025** fiscal year ( **135 million** for ACCEM and **92.9 million** for the ACCEM Foundation), employ thousands of people and maintain a wide network of offices and volunteers.