Salt Fences

Spain, the continent’s southern border, has been receiving boats on its shores for 30 years. Thousands of people, mainly from Africa, but also from Asia, have disembarked here trying to flee hunger, a lack of opportunities or war. Despite this experience, every year a new crisis emerges where the advent of chaos ends up hiding human rights violations. The last two examples have been seen in the last 12 months. In mid-May 2021, more than 10,000 people, including at least 1,500 minors, according to official figures, entered Ceuta from Morocco. Many were sent back, including minors and asylum seekers. Furthermore, a diplomatic crisis between Spain and Morocco resulted in a violation of human rights by the Spanish army that was deployed by the Spanish government in Ceuta to protect the border. The army proceeded to send back as many people as it could, including dozens of children. There are currently around 500 minors in reception centers, and the fate of the rest remains uncertain.