Archbishop of Oviedo warns of fear and violence caused by the Ceuta crisis
In his weekly letter, published September 6, 2026, Archbishop Jesús Sanz Montes said nearly 80,000 people entered Ceuta in what he called a "calculated ambush", and that the migrants are also victims
The Archbishop of Oviedo, Fray Jesús Sanz Montes, wrote about the challenges left by the summer, above all the migration crisis affecting Spain, in his weekly letter published on September 6, 2026. He said that while some had a quiet vacation, others faced natural disasters and wars that have disrupted daily life and freedom in various parts of the world.
Sanz Montes pointed to the recent invasion of Ceuta, the Spanish city on the north coast of Africa, which he said showed how fragile Spain's borders are, borders that are also Europe's. He said this was not simply a migration flow but a "calculated ambush" that brought nearly 80,000 people, most of them young, to take over a Spanish city, creating a climate of fear and violence among local residents.
Migrants as victims of regimes and famine
Sanz Montes said the episode has been kept out of sight and that the consequences of the tragedy are devastating, with many lives lost in the attempt to reach a better future. He said these young people are also victims, fleeing inhuman conditions in their home countries, where they lack basic rights, dignity and hope. Many are escaping oppressive political regimes and famine that threatens their survival, he said.
He criticized some countries of origin that, instead of dealing with their internal problems, benefit from migration by receiving aid from Spain and the European Union.
The pope's message on dignity and hope
Sanz Montes recalled what Pope Leo XIV said during his visit to the Canary Islands, that migrants are "people with a family and a home left behind; with dreams that no one has the right to despise". The pope also called for protecting the lives of these migrants and for not falling into the trap of those who trade in their existence.
Sanz Montes ended his letter by pointing to the fatherhood of Pope Leo XIV, who, through his apostolic visit to Spain, offered a message of hope amid what the archbishop called a bleak picture. He urged the community to lift their eyes to God, who he said knows our struggles and walks with us toward a better future, full of peace and renewed dreams.
