Spain’s Minister for the Presidency, Justice and Relations with Parliament, Félix Bolaños, told the Congreso de los Diputados that the government had had “no prior and precise information about the scale” of entries into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July 2026. The statement was made on 27 August 2026 at a meeting of the Comisión Mixta de Seguridad Nacional and was intended to defend the state’s response during the acute phase of the crisis.
In response to the situation, the cabinet had earlier approved a special designation for Ceuta: under the Real Decreto 681/2026, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado, the Declaración de situación de interés para la seguridad nacional was declared on 25 August to strengthen coordination across government departments and mobilise additional resources. The government also points to legal provisions intended to speed up returns following the border crossings.
According to official figures, thousands of people reached the Spanish exclave at the end of July, placing heavy pressure on border controls, identification procedures and municipal services. On 28 August, the Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska put the number of people remaining in Ceuta at around 5,000. The government also says that many people were returned to Morocco in the following days.
Opposition parties and MPs from several groups are now demanding detailed information about what intelligence the government and security services received before 30 July, whether the intelligence services had produced assessments of the situation and the extent of contacts with Moroccan officials. Critics warn that the phrase “no precise” advance information could obscure political responsibility. Supporters point to the fast-changing nature of the situation and to ongoing investigations and administrative decisions.
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares meanwhile stressed the need for close cooperation with Morocco. The government also asked the European Union for help in managing supplies and accommodation in Ceuta. A plenary session is expected in early September, at which the Prime Minister is due to explain the overall strategy.
Established facts and political assessments should be clearly distinguished: the dates of the events (30 and 31 July) and the hearing (27 August) are officially documented; Ceuta’s special security status was published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado. The debate about responsibility and future procedures, by contrast, is based on the positions expressed by the government and opposition in the Congreso de los Diputados.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).