Morocco not to blame for Ceuta border breach, says Spanish PM

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez asserted on Monday that there is no evidence linking the Moroccan government to the massive, deadly border breach that occurred at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta at the end of July, when roughly 70,000 migrants attempted to cross and at least 141 are believed to have died. Sánchez told Cadena Ser radio that no intelligence reports raise doubts about Morocco’s involvement and emphasized that cooperation between Spain and Morocco remains “frankly positive.” He warned that mistrust would only worsen the already complex situation in Ceuta, where about 5,000 migrants, including 1,200 minors, still remain on the streets after the majority were forced back to Morocco weeks earlier. The prime minister also accused “criminal gangs” of spreading false information about a Spanish Supreme Court ruling, claiming it would prevent the deportation of anyone who entered Ceuta by swimming, a claim he says was used to fuel the surge.

The episode has sparked a political and humanitarian crisis across the European Union, reviving long‑standing tensions over migration policy. Sánchez blamed “fake news” disseminated through social‑media accounts linked to Russia, Israel and the international far‑right, arguing that these actors routinely weaponize migration to attack Spain and Europe. Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, denounced the accusation as a “brazen lie,” while the Kremlin rejected any Russian connection to the Ceuta incident, according to the RBC daily. Spain’s conservative People’s Party, led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo, seized on the crisis to criticize the government for failing to protect Ceuta’s residents, claiming the administration did nothing to prevent the July 30 invasion or to curb the ensuing public‑order breakdown.

In the aftermath, clashes have erupted between some Ceuta residents, police and the remaining migrants, with reports of belongings being burned as people sleep on the beaches. Four Moroccan migrants were arrested on Saturday after throwing stones at Spanish soldiers, underscoring the volatile security environment. Sánchez promised that “sufficient capacity” would soon be available to accommodate those still in the enclave, signaling an attempt to manage the humanitarian fallout. The incident has reignited broader EU debates on border security, the role of criminal smuggling networks, and the impact of disinformation campaigns on migration flows, while also straining Spain’s diplomatic relations with both Morocco and countries accused of spreading false narratives.

⚡ Effects Interpreter