Ceuta Crisis: Sanchez Denies Morocco Involvement, Blames Foreign Disinformation
A surge of more than 72,000 migrants into Spain’s Ceuta enclave has triggered a political and diplomatic row, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez dismissing claims of Moroccan involvement and blaming disinformation networks for fuelling the crisis.
Sanchez said there were indications that Russian and Israeli-linked networks, alongside far-right groups, helped spread false information about Spain’s migration policy.
“When people talk and speculate about the participation of Moroccan authorities, I deny this outright”, Sanchez told radio station SER.
The mass crossings occurred between July 30 and 31, with Ceuta authorities reporting that at least 100 people died while attempting to reach the territory.
Spanish officials said misleading posts on Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms falsely claimed migrants arriving by sea would be permitted to remain in Spain.
Sanchez said the EU diplomatic service (EEAS), had identified the networks behind the disinformation campaign, which he said was also used to attack Madrid over its positions on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
About 5,000 migrants, including asylum seekers, remain in Ceuta, with residents staging near-daily protests over the government’s handling of the situation.
Sanchez announced an additional €168 million in emergency funding to support Ceuta’s economic recovery, following €180 million pledged last week.
Italy, meanwhile, has extended border checks on travellers arriving from Spain by another 15 days, citing the continued relevance of the factors that prompted the checks in August.
The measures affect air travellers because Italy and Spain are both members of the Schengen zone and do not share a land border.
