Sánchez rejects claims Morocco is blackmailing Spain over migrant surge
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said there is no solid evidence that Morocco orchestrated the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta and dismissed allegations of phone hacking as speculation.
In late July, over 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco, prompting a political row in Spain. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez asserted that no definitive evidence ties the wave to Moroccan planning, countering claims from the right-wing Popular Party and its leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo that the government is being pressured by blackmail derived from a hacked phone. Sánchez described the rumors as baseless and warned that a firm reaction would only follow proof of Moroccan involvement.
While the majority of the newcomers left within hours, a few thousand stayed, leading to violence and daily protests in Ceuta. Authorities are now working to identify the remaining migrants to assess asylum claims, and unaccompanied children cannot be immediately deported. The dispute highlights strained Spain-Morocco relations amid a broader migration challenge.
Why it matters
The dispute reveals tensions in Spain-Morocco ties and the political fallout from a major migrant influx.
How this story developed
- Aug 21 Spanish police detain five suspected migrant smugglers operating from 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 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 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 Regional economy minister asserted that the national government possessed advance intelligence on the Ceuta crossing and did not implement preventive measures.
- Sep 11 Czech and Hungarian leaders condemned the EU’s emergency aid for Ceuta.
- Sep 12 A police‑commissioned report described Moroccan border police as unusually sparse and granting migrants “total permission.”
- Sep 13 Minister Sira Rego urged autonomous communities to assume responsibility for Ceuta’s unaccompanied minors.
- Sep 13 The foreign minister announced an urgent trip to Brussels for talks with EU officials.
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