Spain – Ceuta: Imperialism and the So-Called “Migration Crisis”

Down with the imperialist Fortress Europe! Return the Spanish colonies in Morocco!

Statement of the RKOB, Austrian Section of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 3 August 2026, www.thecommunists.net 

1. In the last few days some 60,000 people crossed into Ceuta from Morocco, including around 8,000 children. Ceuta is one of the two Spanish enclaves on the North African coast (the other is Melilla). Tragically, at least 67 of them died on their way through the sea. Spain’s ”progressive” government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the mass crossing represented “a violation of Spain’s territorial sovereignty” and mobilized troops and expelled the refugees within days.

2. Unsurprisingly, right-wing instigators and bourgeois scaremongers speak about an “invasion” and “migration crisis” against which “we” have to defend ourselves. Various EU governments suspended the Schengen Agreement with Spain, referring to the “danger” of refugees reaching their country from the African enclave which lies on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea! Supporters of the Sanchez government claim that an American-Israeli conspiracy is behind the “crisis”. It is true that the Zionists currently welcome any difficulties for Madrid because the latter has repeatedly criticised Israel’s war crimes in Gaza. For example, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon denounced Spain for its handling of the crisis and indicated support for Morocco’s claim to get back the two disputed enclaves. However, these factors play only a secondary role.

3. The fundamental reason for migration to Western Europe is poverty and the lack of life perspective for hundreds of millions of Africans. Imperialist Great Powers – in particular from Europe – have plundered the “black continent” for centuries and enslaved millions of Africans. Today, multinational corporations – from Western countries as well as China – exploit the continent’s natural and human resources. Financial institutions make extra-profits from wealth smuggled out of the black continent. Imperialist states manipulate and bribe local governments and finance wars. The peoples of Africa suffer mostly from the consequences of climate change which is caused by imperialist states. No wonder that millions of people from the south want to reach the European metropolises of wealth which have enriched themselves on the back of their native countries.

4. The recent mass entry seems to have been triggered by a combination of two events. First, a decision by Spain’s supreme court, which recently ruled that those intercepted at sea while trying to enter Ceuta or Melilla could not be summarily returned under special rules. Secondly, Sanchez recently visited Algeria, Spain's biggest gas supplier, in order to improve relations. Algeria, however, has a long-standing conflict with Morocco because of the latter’s occupation of Western Sahara. This is the main reason why Moroccan authorities did little to stop the migrants from crossing the border in order to remind Spain of its indispensable role as guardians of the Fortress Europe. (A similar event took place in 2021 during a diplomatic crisis between Spain and Morocco.)

5. The RKOB, Austrian section of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), denounces the Sanchez government for expelling migrants coming from Africa. While the social-democratic government often talks “left” and is supported by various “left-wing” parties like Sumar, Podemos and the “communist” IU and PCE, it effectively acts as a capitalist government which defends the colonial possessions of Spanish imperialism, and which safeguards the borders of the imperialist Fortress Europe. Likewise, we oppose the existence of Spanish colonies on Moroccan soil – the two enclaves Ceuta and Melilla as well as the Canary Islands – and call for their immediate restitution to Morocco.

6. Authentic socialists oppose the discrimination of migrants and refugees. We do so not only because of humanitarian principles but also because “our people” are not defined by skin colour or passport. “Our people” are those around the world who are exploited and therefore share an interest in replacing capitalism with a socialist society based on equality. Our brothers and sisters are the workers and oppressed in all countries. We therefore don’t view Europe as “our home” and Africa as a “foreign continent”. African migrants are part of “our people” as are European workers while the European super-rich – many of them with close relations with the decadent Epstein circles and the Zionist monster – as well as their local puppet regimes in Africa are our enemies.

7. The RCIT stands for Open Borders, i.e. against imperialist border control and for the right of refugees to enter the imperialist Fortress Europe. We are aware that Europe’s ruling class has succeeded in poisoning the consciousness of sectors of the local working class. To these brothers and sisters we say: “It is not the refugee who steals your job but your greedy boss. It is not the refugees who impose cuts in your social and health care but the ruling elite which hands, at the same time, generous tax breaks to their super-rich masters. Your enemies are not those who serve you food and who care for your elder relatives for meagre wages. You must fight those who steal from you – those in power and with wealth – and for this you must reach out your hands to those who face exploitation and oppression from the same enemies. Otherwise, you remain isolated and will be crushed by the overwhelming society dominated by the ruling class.”

8. Of course, we reject the liberal illusion that migration in itself would be a solution. There can be no justice and equality under capitalism. We accept migration as a matter of fact which has always existed in the history of capitalism. Like other developments in capitalism (e.g. women joining the labour force in factories in the 19th century), it has advantages and disadvantages. It internationalises the European working class and its experience but also creates a pool of cheap labour for the capitalists and robs the native countries in Africa from their young labour force. The answer is not isolation and chauvinism but joint struggle for equal wages and equal rights.

9. Only under socialism will it be possible to remove the conditions of poverty in the Global South by expropriating the super-rich and nationalising the central sectors of industry, transport and finance. Only such an international socialist revolution will make it possible that Western Europe will pay reparation to the peoples in Africa which will allow to substantially improve their living conditions.

10. The RCIT and its Austrian section call socialists in Europe and Africa to join forces to advance the formation of a World Party of Socialist Revolution on the basis of consistent internationalism and anti-imperialism. We oppose imperialist border control and call for the joint struggle of workers and oppressed across the border. We stand in unconditional solidarity with the oppressed peoples in Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen in their struggle against the American-Zionist monster. We oppose the occupation of Western Sahara and call for the right of national self-determination of the Sahrawis.