Spanish Vox leader questions Moroccan Foreign Ministry statement and urges Madrid to return Ceuta migrants

The statement from Morocco’s Foreign Ministry continues to spark reactions in Spain, with Santiago Abascal, leader of the Vox party, leveraging it to criticize both Morocco and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over their handling of migrants and minors entering Ceuta.

On Friday, Abascal, the far-right party leader, urged the Spanish government to repatriate the migrants and minors back to Morocco, following Rabat’s announcement of its readiness to receive them. He questioned Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, stating: «If Morocco agrees to take them back, why does Sánchez want them?» and accused him of enforcing the «institutional detention of minors.»

Abascal emphasized the need for immediate action, expressing skepticism over the Moroccan statement, in which Rabat formally committed to receiving the minors who crossed into Ceuta.

He further claimed that «there is significant information implicating Morocco and the Spanish government,» arguing that Sánchez’s administration had prior knowledge of the events and should provide explanations.

Abascal remarked that the Moroccan statement conflicted with the assertions of several Moroccan ministers on the sovereignty of Ceuta and Melilla. He accused Morocco of manipulating the situation, adding: «We are convinced they encouraged it and allowed it to happen.»