Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sees no evidence, based on the information currently available, of Moroccan authorities being involved in the mass border crossings into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July 2026. In an interview on Cadena SER on 31 August 2026, he referred to reports from the security forces and the Centro Nacional de Inteligencia. He stressed that these showed no involvement by Morocco in any form, the prime minister said.
Sánchez also said that the assessments available at the time had not foreseen the scale of events at the end of July. He highlighted bilateral cooperation and referred to the swift deployment of Moroccan forces in the border area around Castillejos, to prevent further crossings. Relations with Morocco were complex, and cooperation on migration was “frank and positive”, he said.
To put the migration situation in context, Sánchez reiterated that most of the people who arrived in Ceuta had come to Spain for economic reasons and were expected to return to Morocco within a reasonable timeframe. The relevant authorities were working closely together to that end. He gave no specific figures for returns in the interview.
Sánchez made clear that the investigation into the causes would continue. What is established as fact is that the interview took place on 31 August 2026 and that he repeatedly said the security forces and intelligence service had no evidence of a role by Moroccan authorities. His assessments of the quality of cooperation, the reasons for the crossings and the likelihood of returns are the prime minister’s own views. Possible political or legal consequences remain unclear; they depend on ongoing reviews by Spanish authorities and, where relevant, Moroccan authorities.
The prime minister also said that the head of state, King Felipe VI, would visit Ceuta and Melilla once the conditions were right. La Moncloa had already pointed to close coordination between the government, security forces and regional authorities at the end of July. Sánchez gave no further details about internal alert procedures.
No specific political decisions have been announced for the coming days. According to the government, its focus is on stabilising the border, coordinating with Morocco and reviewing the response during the days of the crisis. It remained unclear from the interview whether further agreements with Rabat would be needed.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).