Ceuta Mayor Accuses Morocco of Enabling Migrant Influx

By Al Mayadeen English

3 Aug 2026 14:55

Ceuta’s mayor accuses Morocco of being unreliable after tens of thousands crossed into the Spanish enclave, urging Madrid to take action.

The mayor-president of Spain’s Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, accused Morocco of being an unreliable partner following the mass arrival of migrants into the Spanish enclave, calling on Madrid to take measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

“Morocco has shown that it cannot be trusted. Therefore, all necessary measures must be taken to ensure it cannot repeat such actions,” Vivas told El País.

The Ceuta mayor said Spain has the right to demand that Morocco respect its territorial integrity, adding that Madrid should seek European backing in doing so.

"We all want good relations, but if Morocco does not want to have them, we will have to ask it to at least respect," Vivas told the Spanish outlet. "We cannot ask it to change its policy, not even the foreign one; its approaches are legitimate, but [Morocco] does respect the territorial integrity of Spain, the security of our borders."

Migration crisis exposes tensions between Madrid and Rabat

The comments come after tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta in late July, overwhelming the small Spanish enclave on the North African coast.

Spanish authorities deployed additional police, Civil Guard forces, and military personnel to reinforce border controls after the influx. Vivas said around 60,000 people entered Ceuta within a 24-hour period, a number approaching the enclave’s population of approximately 85,000.

The crisis has intensified diplomatic tensions between Madrid and Rabat, with reports suggesting that some Western intelligence agencies are examining whether Moroccan authorities facilitated the crossings amid disputes with Spain.

According to reports, Moroccan officials have expressed dissatisfaction with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over Madrid’s energy cooperation with Algeria, Morocco’s regional rival.

Spain calls for European support over Ceuta crossings

Madrid has described the mass crossings as a challenge to Spain’s territorial integrity and has moved to strengthen border measures while seeking European cooperation.

The crisis has also triggered wider debate within the European Union over migration management, border controls, and relations with neighboring countries.

Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two North African enclaves, have long been flashpoints in relations between Madrid and Rabat, with Morocco disputing Spanish sovereignty over the territories.