The Spanish strongholds that remain on the African coast
In short: While most colonial empires retreated in the 20th century, a few Spanish territories remained. Known as the plazas de soberanía, these Mediterranean outposts sit closer to Africa than Europe, serving as enduring symbols of sovereignty and points of intense geopolitical friction.
The term plazas de soberanía, meaning "strongholds of sovereignty," refers to Spanish territories along the Moroccan coast that have been part of Spain since the formation of the modern state between 1492 and 1556. This distinguishes them from African territories acquired later during the 19th-century Scramble for Africa. Historically, the group included the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, alongside minor, often uninhabited islands and the Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera peninsula.
The origins of these outposts are rooted in the Reconquista. Following the 1492 conquest of Granada, Castilian and Portuguese forces established posts to facilitate trade and defend against Barbary piracy. While many African possessions like Oran and Algiers were eventually lost, the core plazas remained. Notably, Ceuta was ceded by Portugal to Spain in 1668, following the end of the Spanish-led Iberian Union.
Today, the status of these territories is a source of significant tension. Morocco has claimed these lands since gaining independence in 1956, often citing the decolonial principles of the UN Charter. This friction has led to military confrontations, such as the 2002 dispute over Perejil Island, where Spanish commandos launched Operation Romeo-Sierra to evict Moroccan gendarmes. Furthermore, the plazas have become flashpoints for migration policy, with the use of "hot returns"—expulsions without due process—drawing criticism from NGOs like Walking Border.
Despite their proximity to Africa, these territories are legally part of the European Union and use the euro. This status has seen the EU fund significant fencing and security measures to manage the borders between the plazas and Morocco.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Plazas de soberanía
- Also: Wikidata — plazas de soberanía · CC0
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