On Monday, Pedro Sánchez acknowledged that Moroccan warships entered Ceuta’s waters in late July, coinciding with the mass arrival of migrants (El País, ABC, La Vanguardia, 20minutos, The Straits Times). He called it an “isolated incident,” said it was resolved through contact “at the highest level between the navies” (El País) and did not explain why they entered (20minutos). The Navy deployed frigates in July and August, according to elDiario.es. The same Monday, the National Day parade in Madrid, with more than 4,000 military personnel (Europa Press), greeted Sánchez with whistles, boos and insults (Europa Press, El País, ABC, La Vanguardia, El Confidencial). Abascal did not attend and marked the day in Ceuta with Jordan Bardella (La Vanguardia). The July migrant figures differ: more than 80,000 (ABC) or more than 72,000 (El Economista of Mexico).
It is the president’s first confirmation of a naval episode that the press had reported first, on the EU’s external border with Morocco, some 47 days before the election. It shapes the King’s visit and the campaign narrative.
If you live in Ceuta or Melilla, the royal visit and the measures announced are what affect you most. If not, what matters is whether there are official explanations about the ships.
For the Government, it was an isolated incident between neighbors, resolved by high-level military contact, and normality has returned to Ceuta.
For the PP and Vox, it is proof that there was an “invasion” and that the Executive has hidden or downplayed what happened.
Three facts remain unclear: why the ships entered, exactly how many migrants crossed and what measures will be approved. Until the Government publishes them, it is wise to treat the figures and the accusations with caution.
El País, ABC, La Vanguardia, 20minutos, The Straits Times, elDiario.es, Europa Press, El Confidencial, El Mundo, France 24, Libération · Oct. 12, 2026
Sánchez admits Moroccan warships entered Ceuta’s waters in the July crisis, on the same day the Oct. 12 parade greeted him with boos
He called it an “isolated incident” and did not explain why they entered. The King travels to Ceuta and Melilla this Tuesday, some 47 days before the Nov. 29 election.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez acknowledged on Monday that Moroccan warships entered Ceuta’s waters in late July, coinciding with the mass arrival of migrants in the autonomous city, according to El País, ABC, La Vanguardia, 20minutos and The Straits Times. He called it an “isolated incident,” said it was resolved through contact “at the highest level between the navies” (El País) and stated that “between two neighboring countries that kind of isolated incident happens” (20minutos). He did not explain why the ships entered and said he was pleased that normality is returning to the city (ABC). The Spanish Navy deployed frigates in July and August, according to elDiario.es.
The news, which El País had reported first, reached the National Day parade in Madrid, presided over by the King and Queen with more than 4,000 military personnel according to Europa Press. The event began with a parachute jump carrying a Spanish flag of 24 square meters (20minutos, La Vanguardia), and the presence of Ceuta and of the early election set the mood. Sánchez was received with whistles, boos and insults, according to Europa Press, El País, ABC, La Vanguardia and El Confidencial, and Ayuso said she hoped it would be the president’s “last parade” (20minutos, Europa Press). Santiago Abascal did not attend the events in Madrid because Ceuta “is still invaded” (ABC) and marked Oct. 12 in the city alongside Jordan Bardella of the French party National Rally (La Vanguardia).
The scale of the July crisis is reported with different figures. ABC speaks of more than 80,000 migrants between July 30 and 31; El Economista, of Mexico, of more than 72,000. On Brussels there are two accounts: El País maintains that the EU is closing ranks with Spain and sending Morocco the message that the autonomous cities are part of the Union, and El Mundo asserts that “concern” is growing over the lack of legislative measures, because the Government did not approve the decree it was preparing and will no longer do so in the middle of the pre-campaign. The latter is reported by a single outlet.
The King travels to Ceuta and Melilla this Tuesday, a visit that El País calls “historic” and that France 24 describes as “highly sensitive” for the relationship with Morocco; Libération speaks of tensions still alive in Ceuta. PP and Vox took the protest over the “invasion” of Ceuta to the streets of Barcelona (La Vanguardia, El Mundo), and the Andalusian president, Juanma Moreno, asked in Brussels for protection of this “southern external border of the Union” (El Mundo).
Today it is worth watching whether the Government or the Royal Household give further explanations about the ships, whether Rabat reacts —in the sources reviewed we have not seen an official Moroccan response— and whether the Executive approves measures before the campaign starts. With the Nov. 29 vote some 47 days away, Ceuta is already an electoral issue.