Sánchez’s ministers clash over whether Madrid missed Ceuta migrant warnings
The contradictory accounts of what the government knew — and when it knew it — are devastating for a government under fire for its handling of the crisis.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's attempts to address concerns over the government's handling of the Ceuta migrant crisis were undermined on Tuesday as two of his top ministers publicly disagreed over whether crucial intelligence warnings were ignored. In early July, approximately 72,000 migrants entered the Spanish enclave in North Africa, prompting questions about whether Spain's intelligence services had missed vital signs of the large influx.
During a parliamentary hearing, Defense Minister Margarita Robles claimed that the National Intelligence Center had alerted authorities on July 30, asserting that government agencies had conducted their duties. However, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska argued that the government had no means of predicting the sudden migrant surge, and denied any prior intelligence warnings during a meeting of interior ministers.
Robles later adjusted her testimony, stating that intelligence services had warned authorities on July 29, while conceding that alerts could have been conveyed verbally. The conflicting accounts have embarrassed Sánchez and raised questions about the government's ability to secure Spain's North African exclaves and manage the crisis.
Opposition lawmakers have accused the executive of attempting to cover up its handling of the situation, with some calling for the ministers to face criminal prosecution.
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