Ester Muñoz blames Sánchez for inaction during Ceuta migrant influx and calls for snap elections
Ester Muñoz accused Prime Minister Sánchez of knowing the risk of a crisis in Ceuta and doing nothing, urging immediate elections.
Ester Muñoz, the Popular Party’s parliamentary spokesperson, reiterated on Sunday that Spain remains in a state of crisis following a large migrant arrival in Ceuta. She claimed the government knew the threat in advance yet took no measures, labeling the prime minister as indifferent and calling for immediate elections. Muñoz also highlighted the resignation of the chief of staff of the government delegate in Ceuta, suggesting that intelligence from the CNI indicated the possibility of an invasion. In a separate criticism, she targeted Minister Félix Bolaños for a recent message that she said sought to influence Supreme Court magistrates regarding the grandchildren law, insisting that the executive must respect the courts and any forthcoming rulings.
Why it matters
The accusations highlight political tension over the handling of migration and judicial independence in Spain.
How this story developed
- Aug 21 Spanish police detain five suspected migrant smugglers operating from Ceuta
- Sep 7 Women and children were placed in a humanitarian hub at the Hípica and some were forced to live in makeshift mountain shelters near Ceuta.
- Sep 8 The Spanish Interior Ministry confirmed that its communications unit created a confidential dossier ranking dozens of journalists by political orientation and stance toward Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government.
- Sep 8 Alberto Núñez Feijóo says the government will release a trimmed version of the pre-invasion reports on Ceuta, omitting key details.
- Sep 8 The Council of Ministers scheduled a vote on declassification Tuesday, with the documents to be released to the public on Wednesday.
- Sep 9 The interior ministry publicly acknowledged creating the dossier.
- Sep 10 Government criticized for declassifying security alerts and for claiming the warning was only a low‑level WhatsApp message.
- Sep 10 Judge María Tardón filed a request for copies of the declassified intelligence reports.
- Sep 10 Morocco’s foreign ministry cautioned that Spain’s “strategic blindness” could turn bilateral ties into a source of chronic distrust after the recent Ceuta border breach.
- Sep 10 Regional economy minister asserted that the national government possessed advance intelligence on the Ceuta crossing and did not implement preventive measures.
- Sep 11 Spain's Congress approved citizenship for Sahrawis born under Spanish rule.
- Sep 12 A police‑commissioned report described Moroccan border police as unusually sparse and granting migrants “total permission.”
- Sep 13 People's Party called the incident a hybrid attack and Morocco rejected claims it was being blamed.
- Sep 13 Minister Sira Rego publicly called for the relocation of Ceuta's unaccompanied minors to the mainland.
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