The invasion experienced in recent days on the border between Morocco and Ceuta has revealed the permeability of Europe’s southern border. After several days have passed, the Archbishop of Tangier, Monsignor Emilio Rocha Grande, analyzes in an interview with Vatican News, the causes of this phenomenon and warns of the mirage that leads thousands of young Moroccans to risk their lives to reach European territory.
«Morocco is not a poor country, in the sense that people are dying of hunger. It is a country in full growth, but that economic growth does not benefit everyone, especially many young people», explains the prelate. In his view, that frustration combines with the idealized image many have of the European continent.
«Europe currently represents a paradise for many of them», he states. According to him, that perception is fueled both by social media and by the emigrants themselves who return temporarily to Morocco during vacations and convey an image of success that does not always correspond to reality.
The archbishop acknowledges that most of those who managed to cross to Ceuta have already returned to Morocco, but he recalls that the tragedy continues for numerous families. «Many have no information: they do not know whether their relatives are alive or dead», he laments.
Rocha explains that the Church in Morocco tried to respond to the emergency by offering water and food, although he acknowledges that «the crisis was so severe and occurred in such a short time that the resources we can make available are limited».
The prelate also welcomed with satisfaction the words spoken by Leo XIV after the Angelus last Sunday, when the Pope called for addressing this situation from the perspective of peace, stability, and justice. «We receive them as prophetic words», he affirms.
For the archbishop, the solution lies in abandoning the political instrumentalization of immigration. «Migrants, like those who do not migrate, are not objects of political or ideological trade», he states.
At the same time, he directs a clear message to young Moroccans tempted by irregular emigration:
«Morocco is a country where one can live, where one can work. Do not let yourselves be carried away by the illusions spread by the media and social networks, which present Europe as a paradise on earth».
Finally, Monsignor Rocha maintains that Europe and Morocco must strengthen their cooperation to promote legal channels of mobility and foster the development of Africa, but he insists that any migration policy must be based on an inalienable principle: «The person must be at the center», because «each person is a child of God, deeply loved by the Lord».