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Spain’s intelligence agency warned authorities about online mobilisations coordinating a mass border breach into Ceuta just one day before tens of thousands of migrants crossed into the North African enclave, according to newly declassified government documents. The release of the intelligence files has intensified political pressure on the administration of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, which has repeatedly claimed the extraordinary surge could not have been anticipated.
The disclosure comes from a tranche of more than 40 previously confidential security documents that the Spanish government made public amid mounting criticism regarding its handling of the border crisis. The files indicate that on 29 July, the National Intelligence Service (CNI) contacted both Moroccan counterparts and local authorities in Ceuta to alert them that social media campaigns were encouraging people to breach the frontier the following day.
According to the intelligence findings, investigators had tracked multiple groups across WhatsApp and Facebook that were openly promoting coordinated efforts to enter the Spanish territory. The CNI noted that these messages advised individuals to make their attempts either by swimming around the perimeter border fences or by pushing through physical barriers.
The intelligence agency determined that approximately 180,000 recipients were connected to the messaging networks circulating the crossing instructions. One intercepted communication explicitly urged participants to exploit the Moroccan Throne Day holiday on 30 July, stating that the date offered a final opportunity to cross because security personnel would be occupied with official parades and celebrations.
In addition to alerting Moroccan intelligence, the CNI sent text messages detailing the online activity to the Civil Guard and the central government's official delegation in Ceuta. Despite these communications, Spanish officials maintain that the specific scale and intensity of the subsequent border surge remained beyond what could have been reasonably predicted.
The following days saw an unprecedented influx of people reaching the enclave. Official estimates indicate that at least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta across 30 and 31 July, with the vast majority attempting the dangerous journey by swimming around the coastal border barrier.
The crossing carried a severe human toll, with data provided by Ceuta’s mayor confirming that at least 100 people lost their lives in the water during the two-day period. While the majority of those who entered have since returned to Morocco, as many as 5,000 people remain in Ceuta, sheltering in informal encampments, on public beaches, and throughout city streets.
The sudden influx and the lingering presence of thousands of migrants have triggered widespread unrest within the autonomous Spanish city. Local residents have voiced growing concerns regarding public safety, and tensions have escalated to the point where some locals have dismantled makeshift shelters and actively obstructed the distribution of humanitarian aid to those stranded.
The declassification of the security files follows weeks of intense scrutiny directed at Prime Minister Sánchez, along with widespread public speculation in Spain regarding Morocco’s posture during the border events. Earlier in the month, a leaked Spanish police document suggested possible involvement or facilitation by Moroccan law enforcement, although the prime minister has consistently stated that no evidence exists to support claims of Moroccan complicity.
Prior to the release of the documents, Sánchez addressed the issue during a Spanish television appearance, repeating his stance that the massive influx of people was unexpected. He had previously addressed the Spanish parliament with similar arguments, testifying that the government had received no advance information indicating the sheer magnitude of the crisis that unfolded at the end of July.
However, political opponents have argued that the declassified files directly undermine the prime minister's assertions. Ester Muñoz, representing the conservative People's Party, condemned the administration's response, stating that officials possessed prior intelligence and were therefore directly accountable for the situation in Ceuta and the resulting loss of life.
Further criticism came from Jorge Buxadé of the far-right Vox party, who posted on social media that the released documents demonstrated grounds for taking Sánchez and his administration before the Supreme Court on charges relating to national security and treason.
In response to the backlash, government officials have defended their actions by arguing that the early intelligence did not provide actionable foresight regarding the unprecedented numbers that arrived. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares stated that he was unaware of any intelligence report that could have accurately predicted the scope of the events that occurred on 30 July.
A government source echoed this assessment, stating that the newly declassified material proves the information available prior to the crossing was insufficient to anticipate the full dimensions of the crisis or to organise an adequate operational response in the time available.
Addressing the text messages sent by intelligence officers on the eve of the crossings, Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano, the central government’s delegate in Ceuta, downplayed their operational significance. He stated that the communications received on 29 July represented routine information sharing rather than a formal warning or an official security alert.
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