Spanish intelligence warned of Ceuta mass crossing plans before surge

September 10, 2026 at 02:23 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Spanish intelligence services warned of social media calls for a mass migrant crossing into Ceuta the day before tens of thousands of people entered the territory, newly released government documents show. The revelations emerged in documents declassified by the Spanish government amid accusations it failed to give the full story of the migrant influx.

Key Facts

On 29 July, Spain's National Intelligence Service (CNI) told Moroccan and Ceuta authorities that social media groups were encouraging migrants to cross the following day.
At least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July.
At least 100 people died during the crossing, according to figures from Ceuta's mayor.
The CNI reported that around 180,000 people were receiving the messages promoting the crossing.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had previously told parliament that there was "no information that conveyed the magnitude" of the crisis.

Declassified Documents

The messages are part of a tranche of more than 40 security documents linked to the Ceuta crossing that the government declassified following mounting pressure on Sánchez over his handling of the crisis. In a note on 29 July, the CNI told Moroccan intelligence it had identified WhatsApp and Facebook groups promoting an attempt by migrants to reach the Spanish exclave the following day, "both swimming and via the [border] fence". The CNI also warned, via text message, the central government's representation in Ceuta and the civil guard about the social media activity.

Political Reaction

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has insisted that the events of 30 July were impossible to predict, but opposition parties say the documents show the government misled Spaniards. Ester Muñoz of the conservative People's Party said: "They had the information, they are directly responsible for the invasion of Ceuta and for those who died." Jorge Buxadé, of the far-right Vox, said on social media that the documents showed that Sánchez "and his band of criminals should be brought before the Supreme Court for treason and security crimes".

Government Response

The government has continued to insist that it acted according to the information available. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said he was "not aware of any report that might have foreseen the magnitude of what happened on July 30". Shortly before the documents were released on Wednesday, Sánchez told Spanish television that "the mass arrival of migrants was not expected".