Pedro Sánchez Denies Moroccan Role in Ceuta Border Crisis

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has ruled out the involvement of Moroccan authorities in a mass border crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta on July 30 and 31. Approximately 70,000 migrants attempted to enter the territory, resulting in an estimated 141 deaths. Sánchez attributed the surge to disinformation spread by criminal gangs and social media accounts linked to Russia, Israel, and the international far right, who falsely claimed that swimmers could not be deported.

While most migrants returned to Morocco, thousands remain in legal limbo. The Spanish government estimates between 1,500 and 7,000 people are still present, though Ceuta leaders claim the number exceeds 10,000. In the El Príncipe neighborhood, hundreds of young Moroccans, including teenage girls fleeing domestic pressures and limited economic opportunities, live in an improvised settlement lacking basic infrastructure. Local prosecutors have recorded 13 formal complaints of sexual assault since the crossing, including three involving minors.

The crisis has fueled political conflict in Spain. The conservative People's party and far-right Vox party accused the government of failing to protect the enclave, with some suggesting Morocco engineered the event to signal displeasure over Spain's relations with Algeria. In response, Sánchez pledged 168 million euros in additional aid for Ceuta to manage the humanitarian situation.