Cayetano Martínez de Irujo, the Spanish aristocrat and former Olympic showjumper, called on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to speak with him about the situation in Ceuta, describing what has happened in the Spanish enclave as a declaration of war.
Martínez de Irujo made the comments during an appearance on Todo es Mentira, the Cuatro television programme, where he said the current situation in Ceuta was, in his view, the most serious he could remember since the beginning of Spanish democracy.
A three-part case
He said his position rested on three personal factors. The first was his identity as a Spaniard, recalling his three Olympic Games and 35 years representing Spain around the world. The second was his direct connection to Ceuta, whose situation he said he defends. The third was the numerous arguments he had heard on various television programmes in recent days, which he considered particularly solid.
Praise for Morocco, then a warning
Martínez de Irujo also addressed the historic relationship between Spain and Morocco, making clear his personal fondness for the country. He said he liked Morocco very much and loved the country, adding that he had visited it since he was 18, both for sporting reasons and for pleasure.
However, he said Morocco always manages to get ahead of Spain, pointing to the historical episode of the island of Perejil as an example of a moment when he believed Spain had responded to Morocco with firmness.
The Perejil Island crisis, in 2002, saw Spanish and Moroccan forces briefly face off over the tiny, uninhabited islet just off the Moroccan coast, one of the tensest episodes in recent relations between the two countries.
"A declaration of war"
From there, Martínez de Irujo raised the tone of his remarks considerably. He described what has recently happened in Ceuta as going beyond immigration, characterising it, in his view, as a genuine invasion aimed at the people of Ceuta and their way of life. He said that, to him, it amounted to a declaration of war, remarks that quickly spread on social media.
A direct appeal to Sánchez
The former equestrian also used his television appearance to address Sánchez directly, recalling that he used to have the prime minister's phone number, a contact he said he lost following the Pegasus case.
The Pegasus affair refers to the scandal in which the mobile phones of Sánchez and other senior Spanish officials were found to have been infected with spyware, triggering a political and diplomatic controversy in Spain.
Martínez de Irujo said he wanted to speak with Defence Minister Margarita Robles and with Colonel Cayetano José Martínez Alonso, who commands the Tercio Duque de Alba in Ceuta, referring to the colonel as his namesake. He said he believed he could personally help fix the situation in Ceuta.
The Tercio Duque de Alba is a regiment of the Spanish Legion stationed in Ceuta, one of two Spanish autonomous cities on the North African coast that border Morocco.
