Ceuta border surge sparks internal power clash between Spain’s top ministers

A sudden wave of migrants entering the Spanish enclave of Ceuta sparked more than a border controversy; it ignited a covert information war inside the government. While the prime minister’s office initially presented a unified response, subsequent reports, documents and testimonies exposed divergent accounts among senior officials. The clash centers on interior minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and defence minister Margarita Robles, both key allies of Pedro Sánchez, whose versions of events differ sharply.

Agencies such as the CNI, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence have become entangled in the dispute. The evolving narrative raises questions about what the cabinet knew beforehand, who received early warnings, and why ministers’ statements conflict. Analysts suggest the episode could undermine cohesion within the executive if the internal battle continues.