Retired Admiral blames Prime Minister Sánchez for encouraging Morocco in Ceuta standoff
Retired admiral Juan Rodríguez Garat says Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is responsible for emboldening Morocco amid the hybrid-war tension over Ceuta.
Juan Rodríguez Garat, a retired admiral, used his regular "Tambores de Guerra" video to assess the ongoing crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. While he downplays the likelihood of a full-scale war with Morocco, he insists Spain is engaged in a hybrid war that the government in Madrid and Brussels pretends does not exist. Garat exonerates the CNI, saying it acted as required, and shifts culpability to the Ceuta government delegation for not reacting promptly.
He condemns the broader leadership vacuum, arguing that responsibility cannot be delegated and must rest with the commanding officer who builds the response structure. Finally, he holds Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez personally accountable, accusing him of a conciliatory policy that has only encouraged Morocco’s aggressive posture.
Why it matters
The admiral’s accusations highlight internal disputes over Spain’s strategy toward Morocco and the security of Ceuta.
How this story developed
- Sep 3 EU seeks clarification before expanding Frontex support for Ceuta
- Sep 5 The Commission said it cannot finish its review until Spain supplies further information.
- Sep 9 Ceuta mayor‑president Juan Jesús Vivas publicly urged the EU to boost funding and security for the enclave’s border.
- Sep 9 The EU approved a financial package for Ceuta border controls and pledged additional Frontex support.
- Sep 11 Czech and Hungarian leaders condemned the EU’s emergency aid for Ceuta.
- Sep 13 Minister Sira Rego urged autonomous communities to assume responsibility for Ceuta’s unaccompanied minors.
- Sep 16 After intense negotiations, the European Parliament approved a resolution introduced by the Partido Popular that calls on Morocco, as a key EU partner, to fulfill its border-management and migration-return obligations. The text labels the Ceuta event as an invasion and condemns Morocco's demands over the sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla as unacceptable. Conservative groups supported the measure, while the PSOE-led socialist bloc opposed it.
- Sep 17 The European Parliament adopted the revised Ceuta resolution after intense negotiations.
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