King Felipe and Queen Letizia visit Ceuta

King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the Autonomous City of Ceuta, which recently made headlines after a migrant crisis that brought in 70,000 people from Morocco.

The majority of the migrants have since left Ceuta. However, humanitarian organisations estimate that at least 141 died. Thousands remain and are often sleeping rough.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia were accompanied by Ángel Víctor Torres, the Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory. Their visit began at City Hall, where they were received by the President of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, who presented the baton of command to the King; the Government Delegate in Ceuta, Javier David De La Encina; and the General Commander of Ceuta, Major General Luis Fernández.

The residents of Ceuta gave the King and Queen a warm welcome at the Plaza de África.

After greeting the Assembly of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, King Felipe and Queen Letizia met with representatives of Ceuta society and the Ceuta city council. Afterwards, they received the Golden Key to the City of Ceuta and signed the Book of Honour.

Photo: © Casa de S.M. el Rey

After visiting City Hall, they entered the Sanctuary of Santa María de África and toured the Manzanera neighbourhood. They also visited the Sidi Embarek Muslim cemetery, where those who died at sea during the crisis were buried.

Representatives from all four major faiths living in Ceuta were present, and the King and Queen met with them during the visit. Among them were the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Cádiz and Ceuta, Ramón Darío Valdivia; the Vicar General of Ceuta, Francisco Jesús Fernández; the delegate of the Islamic Commission of Ceuta, Hamido Mohamed Abdeselam; the President of the Federation of Islamic Communities of Ceuta, Laarbi Maateis; Rabbi Jacob Levy; the representative of the Jewish Community of Ceuta, Moisés Gabizón; and the President of the Hindu Community of Ceuta, Ramesh-Ghanshandas Chandiramani.

During the meeting, King Flipe addressed the attendees, telling them, “Do not stop, not for a moment, believing in the future of your city—our city. You have the firm support of the rest of the Spanish people, of all citizens, the guarantee of the powers and institutions of the State, and the full, permanent, and unequivocal commitment of the Crown.”