«Si recibiéramos órdenes de actuar, controlaríamos la situación en Ceuta en 48 horas»

Hugo del Prado, national delegate of Jupol, denounces that the National Police have been in Ceuta for a month without clear orders or a contingency plan, "improvising from day one." He asserts that his colleagues received no prior warning of the mass attempt to scale the fence and that they still lack instructions from the unified command or the Ministry of the Interior. He reports shifts of up to 19 hours in the first few days, allowances of 77 euros that do not cover lodging or food, and a complete lack of legal support in the event of interventions. Regarding the role of some NGOs, he makes one of the most serious accusations of the interview: he recounts that there were arrests for distributing pepper spray to migrants, and adds that they received information—which he acknowledges as a rumor pending investigation—that members of an NGO had purchased cans of turpentine and aluminum foil the same afternoon that projectiles were thrown at soldiers and officers during a demonstration. He estimates that between 8,000 and 10,000 migrants remain in the city, well above the official figures. He warns that there is a real risk that tensions could spiral out of control and that, if violent clashes occur, the situation would no longer be manageable within 48 hours. But his central message is clear: with a sufficient number of officers and a specific order, the crisis in Ceuta could be resolved in less than two days.