Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez addresses lawmakers about the situation in Ceuta, the Spanish exclave in North Africa facing a migrant crisis, during a session of Parliament in Madrid, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (Fernando S\u00e1nchez\/Europa Press via AP)<\/small><\/p>\n
2026-09-03T10:49:39Z<\/p>\n
MADRID (AP) \u2014 Spain\u2019s Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez on Thursday rejected suggestions that Moroccan authorities helped orchestrate the deadly mass crossing of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta, as pressure grows over his handling of the crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can assure you that that no institution \u2014 neither the diplomatic service, nor the European Commission, nor any international body \u2014 has provided the Spanish government with solid evidence that Morocco planned or carried out the incident. None,\u201d S\u00e1nchez told lawmakers. <\/p>\n
A day earlier, tens of thousands of Spaniards in cities across the country joined protests against the ongoing humanitarian crisis<\/a><\/span> in Ceuta, demanding solutions and S\u00e1nchez\u2019s resignation.<\/p>\n In late July, some 72,000 migrants swam, scrambled and later charged into Ceuta, a Spanish exclave in North Africa with just 84,000 residents. Most returned to Morocco or were ushered back<\/a><\/span> over the border within days, but around 5,000, including 1,200 minors, remain in the city weeks later, according to the national government. Ceuta\u2019s local government cites a higher figure. <\/p>\n S\u00e1nchez said 141 people died attempting to reach the city, but neither his office nor Spain\u2019s interior ministry explained how they reached the figure.<\/p>\n Major questions linger over what caused the mass crossing, which the Spanish government says was fueled by an online campaign on social media<\/a><\/span>. <\/p>\n Earlier this week, Spanish media reported that a police report had highlighted the alleged permissiveness of Moroccan security forces in the incident, but Spainish officials denied that the document had blamed Rabat.<\/p>\n