Madrid (AFP) – The Spanish Prime Minister defended his management of the Ceuta crisis on Thursday before MPs, once again assuring that he had "no proof" of Morocco's involvement in the sudden influx of migrants at the end of July, while firmly claiming Spanish sovereignty over the enclave.

Published on: 03/09/2026 - 11:47 Modified on: 03/09/2026 - 16:55

The question of Morocco's possible role in the sudden entry of tens of thousands of migrants into Ceuta on July 30 and 31 has been at the heart of debates in Spain for a month, questions further reinforced on Wednesday by the leak to the press of a police report pointing out in particular the "permissiveness" of the Moroccan security forces on those two days.

But no service or international organization "has provided the Spanish government with solid evidence that Morocco planned or orchestrated" the influx of migrants that occurred in Ceuta at the end of July, Pedro Sánchez insisted to MPs, the day after massive demonstrations throughout the country in a sign of support for the small Spanish territory in North Africa, but also to protest against the government's management of the crisis.

“If this solid evidence existed, we would act accordingly, with all the firmness that the situation requires,” continued Pedro Sánchez, who also reiterated that no prior report had anticipated “the magnitude” or “the possibility” of what happened at the end of July.

“Hybrid warfare”

“We have not the slightest intention of triggering a first-rate diplomatic conflict with a neighboring country in an already particularly unstable world without having solid data to do so,” the Prime Minister further asserted.

For a month, the migration crisis in Ceuta has fueled vehement criticism of the government from the right-wing and far-right opposition, convinced, like certain left-wing allies of the executive as well, that Morocco had a role in this sudden influx of migrants, which left dozens dead and missing.

"Your argument is damning. We were not aware of anything, and therefore we have no responsibility or fault. If it is the truth, resign for incompetence, and if it is false, resign for complicity, Mr. Sánchez," Alberto Nuñez Feijoó, leader of the Popular Party (right), told Prime Minister Thursday, referring to a "possible act of hybrid war by Morocco."

But if he once again rejected at this stage any involvement of Rabat in the crisis, Pedro Sánchez strongly criticized the "unacceptable" declarations of two Moroccan ministers, who recently claimed Moroccan sovereignty over Ceuta but also Melilla, another Spanish territory landlocked in Morocco.

“We heard two ministers make unacceptable statements on Ceuta and Melilla (...) for which we summoned the Moroccan ambassador on August 21,” declared Pedro Sánchez.

“For centuries, these two cities have been Spanish (...). And I assure you that, for the Spanish government, it will remain like this until the end of time,” launched the head of government from the podium.

- Call to Felipe VI-

He also called on the King of Spain Felipe VI to visit these two cities "in the coming weeks", to convey to them "the absolute commitment of the State": "At this moment, Ceuta needs more than ever to be supported by the State".

The last visit of a Spanish sovereign, Juan Carlos in this case, to these two territories dates back to November 2007. It then led to a diplomatic crisis with Morocco.

Morocco claims its sovereignty over the two enclaves, which it considers to be territories occupied by Spain, without this claim being formulated to the UN - Rabat being focused on settling the Western Sahara issue in its favor.

This former Spanish colony, controlled mainly by Morocco, is also claimed by the separatists of the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria.

And even if Madrid has supported the Moroccan solution on this issue since 2022, some analysts believe that the crisis at the end of July in Ceuta could have been orchestrated by Morocco as a message sent to Spain after a visit by Mr. Sánchez to Algeria in July.

If the vast majority of migrants who arrived in Ceuta at the end of July left immediately, several thousand - some 5,000 according to the central government, 10,000 according to local authorities - are still present in the small territory which has a little more than 80,000 inhabitants.

© 2026 AFP

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