Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected any involvement by Morocco in the serious migration crisis in Ceuta. Instead, he has pointed to disinformation spread by networks allegedly linked to Russia, Israel and the international far right. At the same time, he acknowledged that Spain’s intelligence service, the CNI, had provided situation reports but had not warned the government about the true scale of the impending crisis.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
The political debate surrounding the serious migration crisis in Ceuta has taken a new turn. On Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explicitly cleared the Moroccan government of any involvement in the mass migration movement at the end of July during an interview with radio station Cadena SER.
According to the Prime Minister, neither Spain’s intelligence service, the CNI, nor the security forces or other intelligence agencies have any information indicating that the Moroccan authorities were involved. At the same time, Sánchez stressed the importance of cooperation with Rabat in managing the crisis.
“There is no information” indicating any involvement by the Moroccan government, the Prime Minister said. Instead, Morocco cooperated with Spain immediately after the crisis broke out.
More than 70,000 People Reached Ceuta
At the end of July, the Spanish enclave of Ceuta experienced an unprecedented surge in migration. According to figures cited by Sánchez and other sources, around 70,000 to more than 72,000 people attempted to reach Ceuta from Morocco within a short period of time.
The events of 30 and 31 July triggered a serious humanitarian and political crisis. According to international reports, numerous people lost their lives, with at least 100 fatalities reported.
The Spanish government has faced considerable pressure ever since. Critics accuse it of underestimating the situation and failing to prepare adequately for the unprecedented circumstances.
Sánchez: No Evidence Against Morocco
Particularly noteworthy is the Prime Minister’s clear position on Morocco’s role. In the political debate, there have been repeated suggestions that Rabat may at least have tolerated, or even deliberately encouraged, the mass movement of people.
Sánchez rejects this account. According to the information available to the Spanish government, there is no evidence that the Moroccan authorities organised the migration movement. Instead, the Prime Minister highlighted Morocco’s “immediate” cooperation.
For Sánchez, cooperation with Rabat therefore remains of central importance. Spain relies on cooperation with Morocco to manage their shared border and tackle migration.
The statement is politically explosive. The conservative opposition, in particular, finds it difficult to believe that a movement of this scale could have taken place on Moroccan territory without the authorities being aware of it. The PP therefore accused Sánchez of going easy on Morocco while simultaneously holding other countries responsible for the developments.
Sánchez Sees Disinformation as a Key Factor
Instead of blaming Morocco, Sánchez points primarily to the spread of misinformation on social media as a key factor. According to his account, false claims were circulated on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, allegedly encouraging migrants to set off for Ceuta.
A central role was allegedly played by a misleading interpretation of a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court. Social media gave the impression that people who reached Ceuta by swimming could no longer be returned to Morocco as a result of the ruling.
However, this information was reportedly false or taken out of its legal context. Criminal organisations are said to have exploited such claims to encourage people to make the dangerous crossing.
Russia and Israel in the Spotlight
Sánchez’s claim that networks with links to Russia and Israel, as well as the international far right, could be behind parts of the disinformation campaign attracted particular attention.
The Prime Minister referred to investigations and findings by European institutions. According to his account, the disinformation spread through social media and deliberately focused on Spain’s migration policies. Sánchez sees this as an attempt to politically destabilise Spain and Europe. In his view, the international far right regularly exploits migration to intensify social tensions.
It is important to note that Sánchez has not publicly provided evidence that the Russian or Israeli governments organised the migration movement to Ceuta. The allegations concern suspected networks and the spread of disinformation. This distinction is crucial.
Israel Rejects the Allegations
The Israeli side responded swiftly to the Spanish Prime Minister’s remarks. Israel has rejected the account and dismissed the allegations as unfounded. The dispute risks further exacerbating the already strained political relations between Madrid and Jerusalem.
Sánchez’s government has long pursued a particularly critical stance towards the Israeli government and its policies in the Middle East. Spain is among the European countries that have recognised Palestine as a state.
The new allegations of possible links between Israeli networks and the disinformation surrounding Ceuta add a further dimension to the political dispute.
What Did the CNI Know?
Beside Morocco’s role, a second question is preoccupying Spanish politics: should Spain’s intelligence service have warned the government earlier about the impending crisis?
Sánchez acknowledged that the CNI had already provided situation reports on the border situation before 30 and 31 July. However, he said that there had been no warning indicating the true scale of the impending crisis. In other words, the intelligence service had been monitoring developments but had not anticipated that they would lead to a mass migration movement involving tens of thousands of people.
Sánchez is attempting to defuse an internal dispute within the government. In recent weeks, differing statements from government ministers had created the impression that the security services may have issued stronger warnings than was subsequently acknowledged. The dispute became particularly visible in the contrasting accounts given by Defence Minister Margarita Robles and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. Robles maintained that the CNI had monitored the situation and warned of the possibility of a mass entry, while Marlaska insisted that there had been no report anticipating an unprecedented influx. The Government Delegation in Ceuta also backed Marlaska’s account, stating that it had not received any report warning of what was to happen on 30 July.
Around 5,000 Migrants Remain in Ceuta
According to Sánchez, around 5,000 people currently remain in Ceuta, including approximately 1,200 minors. The vast majority of those who entered the Spanish enclave during the crisis have since left. Sánchez said that around nine out of ten people had already returned to Morocco or otherwise left the city.
The situation nevertheless remains tense. Accommodation capacity in Ceuta has been significantly expanded, while protests and growing tensions among the local population continue. The Spanish government plans to further increase accommodation and support capacity to cope with the situation. On Monday, police cleared an improvised camp near the Loma Colmenar reception facility after hundreds of migrants had been staying there. The operation followed tensions at the site, highlighting the continued pressure on Ceuta’s reception system.
€165 Million for Ceuta
To cushion the economic and social impact of the crisis, Sánchez also announced additional financial support for Ceuta. The government plans to provide a support package worth around €165 million. The funds will be used to support businesses, self-employed workers, retail, tourism and the education sector, among others.
The measures are intended to help cushion the impact of the crisis on the small Spanish enclave.
King Felipe VI Set to Visit Ceuta
Another politically significant announcement concerns King Felipe VI. Sánchez said that the King would visit Ceuta, although the Prime Minister did not give a specific date. The visit is expected to take place once the appropriate conditions are in place.
A visit by the Spanish monarch to Ceuta would carry considerable symbolic weight. The city lies directly on the Moroccan border and, like Melilla, is claimed by Morocco as part of its territory. Sánchez also stressed that he himself had visited both Ceuta and Melilla on several occasions.
Opposition Attacks Sánchez
The opposition has reacted sharply to the Prime Minister’s account. The Partido Popular has particularly criticised Sánchez for effectively clearing Morocco of any responsibility while simultaneously blaming Russia, Israel and far-right networks for spreading the disinformation.
PP spokesman Borja Sémper questioned how a movement involving tens of thousands of people could have taken place on Moroccan territory without the Moroccan authorities being aware of it.
There has also been criticism from the political left of the PSOE. Sumar is calling, among other measures, for rapid relief for Ceuta and a fairer distribution of migrants across mainland Spain.
A Crisis with Many Unanswered Questions
However, many questions remain unanswered. In particular, it remains unclear exactly how the mass movement towards Ceuta was triggered, who originally spread the false information, and to what extent foreign networks were actually involved.
Sánchez’s statements provide a political explanation, but they do not automatically constitute conclusive evidence for the individual connections he has described. What is clear, however, is that the crisis has reached an unprecedented scale and continues to intensify the political debate in Spain.
The government is now focusing on three key priorities: cooperation with Morocco, tackling disinformation and easing the pressure on the city of Ceuta. Sánchez is also sticking to his political course and intends, if possible, to see out the current parliamentary term until 2027.
The Truth About Ceuta Remains Disputed
The Prime Minister’s statements mark a clear shift in the political assessment of the Ceuta crisis: based on the information currently available, Morocco is not considered responsible for the mass movement. Instead, attention is turning to disinformation, criminal smuggling networks and suspected international influence networks.
The allegations against networks with links to Russia and Israel are particularly serious. However, until the relevant evidence is made fully public, it is important to distinguish between a political accusation and a proven connection.
For Ceuta itself, the crisis remains unresolved. Thousands of people are still in the city, accommodation remains under strain, and the political debate over responsibility for the events is likely to continue in Spain for some time to come.
