Spain’s PM says no evidence Morocco planned Ceuta border rush

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addresses police report suggesting July border surge was planned to overwhelm border controls.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez applauds in parliament on September 3, 2026, after addressing the government's handling of the migration situation in Ceuta [AFP]

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says Madrid has found no evidence that Morocco orchestrated a surge of 70,000 people who crossed into its North African enclave of Ceuta a month ago.

Speaking in parliament on Thursday, Sanchez responded to claims in a police report that emerged this week and suggested the border rush into Ceuta in late July was planned to overwhelm border controls.

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“I can assure you that no institution – not the diplomatic service nor the European Commission nor any international body – has provided the Spanish government with any solid evidence that Morocco planned or carried out the incident. None whatsoever,” Sanchez said.

However, he said Moroccan police did allow crossings to occur during a 10-hour peak period on ‌July 30. Spanish authorities had yet to determine whether this was due to inaction or an inability to contain the influx, Sanchez added.

In late July, about 72,000 people swam and rushed into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave with a population of 84,000 that borders Morocco.

The police report, commissioned by a High Court ⁠judge last month, alleged that Moroccan security forces were initially deployed in smaller ⁠numbers than usual near the border and did not make a serious attempt to disperse the crowds.

Moroccan authorities previously denied any permissiveness, blaming the misinterpretation of a Spanish court ruling that appeared to open a legal loophole for arrivals by sea ‌and a social media campaign that spread information about a mass crossing.

Sanchez has defended Morocco during the crisis, highlighting Rabat’s cooperation in returning most of the migrants within 48 hours.

However, about 5,000 people, including 1,200 children, remain in the city weeks later, according to the national government.

On Wednesday, thousands of protesters across Spain rallied against the government’s response to the Ceuta crisis. Among the crowd’s chants were “Expel the invaders” and “Ceuta is not for sale. Ceuta must be defended.”

总理佩德罗·桑切斯就警方报告发表讲话，该报告称7月份的边境入境人数激增是蓄意为之，目的是突破边境管制。

2026年9月3日，西班牙首相佩德罗·桑切斯在议会就政府处理休达移民问题发表讲话后鼓掌。[法新社]

西班牙首相佩德罗·桑切斯表示，马德里方面没有发现任何证据表明摩洛哥策划了一个月前涌入其北非飞地休达的7万人的事件。

桑切斯周四在议会发表讲话，回应了本周公布的一份警方报告中的说法，该报告暗示7月下旬涌入休达的边境潮是计划好的，目的是突破边境管制。

列表 1/3：移民妇女在休达面临性侵犯

西班牙桑切斯称俄罗斯和以色列散布有关休达危机的虚假信息（共3条，此为第2条）

列表 3/3：数万人在西班牙各地集会，抗议休达移民危机

桑切斯说：“我可以向你们保证，没有任何机构——无论是外交部门、欧盟委员会还是任何国际组织——向西班牙政府提供过任何确凿证据，证明摩洛哥策划或实施了这起事件。绝对没有任何证据。”

但他表示，摩洛哥警方确实允许在7月30日长达10小时的高峰时段内进行偷渡。桑切斯补充说，西班牙当局尚未确定这是由于不作为还是无力控制人流涌入造成的。

7 月下旬，约 72,000 人游过海，涌入休达，这座与摩洛哥接壤的西班牙飞地拥有 84,000 人口。

上个月，高等法院法官委托警方撰写的报告称，摩洛哥安全部队最初在边境附近部署的人数比平时少，而且没有认真尝试驱散人群。

摩洛哥当局此前否认有任何纵容行为，并将责任归咎于对西班牙法院裁决的误解，该裁决似乎为通过海路入境打开了一个法律漏洞，以及社交媒体上关于大规模偷渡活动的信息传播。

桑切斯在危机期间为摩洛哥辩护，强调拉巴特在 48 小时内遣返了大部分移民，并给予了合作。

然而，据国家政府称，数周后仍有约 5000 人（包括 1200 名儿童）留在该市。

周三，西班牙各地数千名抗议者举行集会，反对政府对休达危机的应对措施。人群高喊的口号包括“驱逐侵略者”和“休达不出售。休达必须保卫。”