Ceuta’s Border Closure Devastates Local Economy, Businesses Struggle to Adapt

The activity of the area has dropped sharply after the closure of the borders with Morocco. The streets are deserted and several shops are for sale or for rent. The situation is more critical in Tarajal II, a once very lively place that now only has four open warehouses out of the 30 that existed, explain the businessmen to El Faro de Ceuta.

Brahim Mohamed, whose wife runs a business in these still open warehouses, denounces a "chaotic" situation. They are content to sell the remaining stock, awaiting the hypothetical reopening of the commercial customs. "We’ve been waiting for two years for it to open, but we see nothing," he denounces. Overwhelmed and feeling abandoned, some Ceuta businessmen are considering closing up shop.

The area is forced to reinvent itself. In Tarajal I, new businesses such as mechanics, bodywork and painting workshops have opened. Josué Romero, manager of Daryso Motor, instead of exporting his products to Morocco, has decided to sell accessories, spare parts and other accessories.

Other merchants, like the owners of Muebles P&M, have taken advantage of the gloomy situation to acquire one of the warehouses in the industrial zone and open their thriving store. "We focus on selling to the local public, it has gone very well for us and we have never had any problems," they specify.

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