Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Exonerates Morocco Over Ceuta Migrant Crisis, Blames Disinformation

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has ruled out the possibility that Morocco's government supported a mass of migrants who sought to enter the Spanish exclave of Ceuta last month. He stated that European Union intelligence showed “without doubt” that Morocco played no part in the more than 70,000 people crossing the border from Morocco into Ceuta, an autonomous city on the North African coast that belongs to Spain.

“There was no information over the magnitude of what happened and obviously no one predicted that avalanche of people on such a scale,” Mr Sanchez told Cadena SER Radio on Monday. About 5,000 people who entered Ceuta have remained, of which 1,200 are children, according to the Spanish government. During the mass border crossing in July, around 72,000 people entered the territory, though the vast majority were quickly sent back to Morocco or returned voluntarily.

Mr Sanchez was responding to speculation that Morocco—which does not recognise the Spanish sovereignty of the Ceuta and Melilla exclaves—had engineered the crisis to apply political pressure on Spain. Instead, Mr Sanchez blamed Russia and Israel for spreading and amplifying disinformation related to the mass entry of migrants, citing European research. He noted it was “evident” the two countries had used the crisis to criticise the Spanish government due to disagreements with Madrid over its position on wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Spain was among the first countries to recognise Palestinian statehood after the outbreak of the Gaza war and to repeatedly condemn the suffering of civilians in the territory.

Mr Sanchez explained that most of the migrants crossed into Ceuta for “economic reasons” and would be returned to Morocco. He added that there would be no transfers to mainland Spain and that 6,000 accommodation places would be made available in Ceuta “in the coming days,” with the Spanish government’s priority being to resolve the status of children who crossed the border.

Meanwhile, Italy extended travel restrictions, suspending border-free travel for Spanish citizens for a further 15 days following the crisis. Spain has also asked Europe’s Border and Coastguard Agency, Frontex, for help to process the 5,000 migrants remaining in Ceuta. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska sent the request to Beate Gminder, the European Commission’s director general for migration and home affairs, on Friday.

Politically, Mr Sanchez faces mounting domestic pressure. A Sigma Dos poll published by El Mundo shows that his Socialist party, known as PSOE, would win 101 seats (25.4 per cent of the vote) if elections were held today, representing 20 fewer seats than it currently holds. Conversely, the conservative People’s Party would rise to 143 seats, while far-right Vox would almost double its 33 seats to 61 ahead of elections scheduled for the first half of next year.

The region has seen regular instability and protests. Juan Jesus Viva, the city's president-mayor, has threatened legal action against the Spanish government if it does not resolve the issue. Border workers previously warned authorities that more people were arriving by sea following a June 29 Spanish court ruling stating that migrants could only be immediately prevented from entering Ceuta if they crossed a physical barrier, which did not apply to swimmers. Official figures indicate 80 people died in the rush, while Moroccan authorities reported 14 bodies recovered in their territory, bringing confirmed deaths to 94, though human rights groups warn the toll could be higher.