Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told Parliament on Thursday that his government had not received "solid evidence that Morocco planned or orchestrated" the influx of migrants that occurred in Ceuta at the end of July. He added, however, that the Moroccan gendarmerie had allowed the crossings to continue during a key ten-hour period on July 30, when migrant arrivals reached their peak.

Published on: 09/03/2026 - 10:13 Modified on: 09/03/2026 - 12:26

While the question of Morocco's possible role in the influx of migrants at the end of July in Ceuta has been at the heart of debates in Spain for a month, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke to deputies on Thursday September 3. He said he had no "solid evidence that Morocco planned or orchestrated" this crisis.

This declaration comes after the publication of a report from the Spanish police mentioning in particular a "significantly smaller deployment than usual" and the "permissiveness" of the Moroccan police officers.

“I can assure you that no institution, neither the diplomatic service, nor the European Commission, nor any international body, has provided the Spanish government with the slightest solid proof that Morocco planned or executed this incident. None, absolutely none,” Pedro Sanchez said in front of the lower house of Parliament.

The head of the Spanish government, however, added that the Moroccan gendarmerie had allowed the crossings to continue during a key period of ten hours on July 30, when migrant arrivals reached their peak.

Spanish authorities have not yet established whether this situation was the result of inaction or an inability to contain the influx, he said.

Also read: At the Ceuta border, Moroccan families searching for their missing children

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Border dispute

The Prime Minister also criticized statements by Moroccan ministers claiming Morocco's rights to the two Spanish territories located in North Africa.

“We heard two ministers make unacceptable statements on Ceuta and Melilla (...) two statements, ladies and gentlemen, which we of course rejected categorically and for which, I would like to inform you, we summoned the Moroccan ambassador on August 21,” declared Pedro Sanchez.

He also called on King Felipe VI to go to Melilla and Ceuta "in the coming weeks", to convey to them "the absolute commitment of the State".

The last visit of a Spanish sovereign to these two territories located in North Africa dates back to November 2007. It then led to a diplomatic crisis with Morocco, which claims sovereignty over these two enclaves.

With AFP

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