Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez firmly rejected any suggestion of Moroccan involvement in the mass migrant crossings into Ceuta (Sebta) at the end of July, instead praising Rabat’s “instantaneous” and “frankly positive” cooperation.
Speaking on Cadena SER’s Hoy por Hoy program on August 31, Sánchez addressed the events of July 30 and 31, when tens of thousands of people crossed into the Spanish enclave.
Confronted with speculation and accusations directed at Morocco, the Spanish leader relied on intelligence reports from Spanish and international services to dismiss claims of Moroccan passivity or orchestration.
“There is no information from the State security forces and corps, nor from the National Intelligence Centre (CNI), nor from any intelligence center with which the Spanish government usually collaborates, that allows any doubt to be cast on the participation, in one way or another, of the Moroccan authorities,” Sánchez stated.
He described the accusations against Morocco as “serious, dangerous and gratuitous.” According to the prime minister, the surge was driven by distorted information about a Spanish Supreme Court ruling on border returns, amplified by human trafficking networks and extremist or foreign actors on social media.
Sánchez highlighted the rapid Moroccan response on the ground.
“The experience I have regarding the previous crisis in Ceuta is one of coordination, of instantaneous, immediate cooperation from the Moroccan authorities. They were in permanent contact on July 30 and 31. On July 31, we began to see an operational deployment of the Moroccan authorities precisely in the Fnideq area to deal with the avalanche of people trying to enter irregularly into the autonomous city of Sebta,” he said. While migration is important, he stressed that bilateral ties also cover the economy, culture, social affairs and security cooperation against terrorism. “On the migratory level, cooperation with Morocco is frankly positive,” he said, noting that irregular entries via the Western Mediterranean route remain far lower than those recorded on the Central Mediterranean route used toward Italy.
“We must be aware that this crisis can only be resolved through cooperation and not through a lack of trust in Morocco, which would only further aggravate an already complex situation in Ceuta,” he said.
In the heated Spanish debate that has followed the Ceuta events, both the left and the right have at times resorted to opportunistic attacks on Morocco, often prioritizing domestic political scoring over facts and long-term interests.
Segments of the right have revived old anti-Moroccan colonial rhetoric, while parts of the left have echoed unsubstantiated claims of Moroccan orchestration, ignoring the intelligence consensus and the concrete cooperation that has facilitated the return of the vast majority of those who crossed.
Such politicized attacks, Sanchez’s remarks implicitly underline, risk undermining a partnership that remains essential for managing migration, security and regional stability.
On the operational side, Sánchez pointed to tangible results from the ongoing diplomatic and security channel with Morocco. Of the approximately 70,000 people who crossed during the peak days, nine out of ten have already returned.
“Since August 10, 3,222 people have returned voluntarily. This return is continuing and, fortunately, there is no significant entry of migrants across this border,” he added. Regarding unaccompanied minors, he indicated that returns would proceed in accordance with the law and when parental requests are made.
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