Spain has implored other European governments to refrain from publicly criticizing Morocco for its role in the recent Ceuta migration crisis. This appeal, aimed at silencing any negative messaging towards Rabat, was made during an online meeting of Interior Ministers on Tuesday, as many officials questioned how approximately 72,000 individuals could have entered the Spanish North African territory in such a brief period.

Madrid’s request highlights the European Union’s strategic desire to avoid alienating a pivotal partner, one that will remain essential for managing future migratory flows into Europe. Rabat has also long been a steadfast ally of the EU in counter-terrorism efforts and intelligence sharing.

When questioned about accountability for the crisis during a press conference on Tuesday, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated, “There is not necessarily someone to blame.” Apart from a veiled allusion from the Defense Minister, Spain has largely avoided public criticism of Rabat.

A Western government source indicated that Morocco may have, at least tacitly, approved the influx into Ceuta, suggesting the incident was likely intended as a political warning to Madrid.

The situation was further inflamed by false allegations circulating on social media regarding a Spanish Supreme Court ruling, which supposedly prohibited Spanish authorities from conducting “immediate” forced returns of irregular migrants arriving by sea in Ceuta and Melilla.

Shortly thereafter, Western officials also observed that actors within the Russian disinformation ecosystem reacted “very swiftly and on a large scale” to the events unfolding at the Spanish-Moroccan border.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz openly called for Morocco to assume its responsibilities and readmit the migrants. However, other EU leaders have sidestepped any direct implication of the kingdom’s responsibility, even as analysts and media reports questioned how such a large-scale crossing could have occurred without at least a relaxation of its typically strict border controls.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the principle that migrants should not be instrumentalized to exert pressure on the EU – without, however, naming Morocco. She raised the possibility of offering increased financial support to Morocco, as the European Commission considers deepening ties between Brussels and Rabat.

The focus on disinformation

Instead of pointing fingers at its key partners, the European response has largely redirected attention to the role of human smugglers and the possibility that social media disinformation amplified criminal messages.

This also aligns with one of the main messages Rabat sought to convey. On Sunday, Interior Ministry spokesman Rachid Khalfi attributed the impression that entering Europe via Ceuta is easy and carries no legal consequences to “the exploitation of the digital space.”

Morocco also placed responsibility on the Spanish court decision that triggered these speculations, asserting that Madrid should have anticipated these consequences.

Magnus Brunner, the EU Commissioner for Migration, stated on Tuesday that Europol, the EU agency tasked with supporting national law enforcement, is investigating potential disinformation campaigns related to the crisis.

EU ambassadors and ministers discussed the role of disinformation in the crisis this week, agreeing on the necessity for improved intelligence sharing.

The European External Action Service has begun examining whether Russian actors sought to exploit this event on social media for political purposes, sources indicated.

Frontex, the European border agency, is also considering an expansion of its competencies as part of an upcoming review led by the European Commission, to include the capacity to monitor disinformation spreading on social media.

However, no clear independent study or investigation currently exists regarding a coordinated campaign prior to last week’s events.