Pedro Sánchez rejects Morocco’s involvement in the migration crisis in Ceuta and condemns claims to Spanish territories

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told parliamentarians in Madrid that the government has no solid evidence of Morocco’s involvement in the influx of migrants who arrived in Ceuta at the end of July. He specified that no international agency or organization had sent Spain information showing that the Moroccan authorities had planned or orchestrated the crisis.

Sánchez stated that, should such evidence emerge, Spain would react firmly. The prime minister is being criticized by the right-wing and far-right opposition, which claims that Morocco may have played a role in the incident. The debates were fueled by the publication of a police report mentioning the “permissiveness” of the Moroccan security forces during the influx of migrants.

At the same time, the Spanish head of government condemned statements by Moroccan ministers who claimed sovereignty over the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Sánchez announced that he had summoned Morocco’s ambassador on August 21 and reaffirmed that the two territories would remain Spanish.

The prime minister asked King Felipe VI to visit the two enclaves in the coming weeks. Relations between Madrid and Rabat are also influenced by the dispute over Western Sahara, as well as by Spain’s move closer to Morocco’s position on this issue.