Morocco's Interior Ministry has officially confirmed the existence of an online campaign falsely encouraging people to try to reach Ceuta. This comes after more than 50.000 people entered the Spanish city by land and sea on Thursday last week. More than 48.000 returned to Morocco within 48 hours, some over the weekend, Spanish authorities said.
Speaking on Sunday evening, ministry spokesman Rashid Halfi said the border crossings were not the result of temporary or spontaneous factors, but rather the result of the interaction of several overlapping factors. Specifically, he cited the overuse of digital platforms, the spread of misinformation, the role of human trafficking networks, and incorrect interpretations of legal and administrative information. Halfi said these factors were used to create the false impression that it was possible and easy to reach European territory without legal consequences and that the border was open.
He confirmed that the Public Prosecutor's Office has opened judicial investigations into the various circumstances behind the events, in order to identify those responsible and determine the appropriate legal consequences in accordance with the law.
José María Gil Garre, co-director of the International Security Observatory, released a 70-page report on Sunday about the disinformation campaign that fueled the invasion of Ceuta. Gil said the campaign began in early July on social media, from accounts in Algeria, Tunisia and France, and was spotted in the United States. It presents a comprehensive, chronological reconstruction of the events that led to the invasion.
Gil said that the first phase began on July 8, 2026, the date when the Spanish Supreme Court ruled to return migrants intercepted at sea to Ceuta and Melilla. In the days immediately following, simplified and decontextualized interpretations began, presenting the ruling as a supposed guarantee of permanent residence on Spanish territory.
Between July 8 and July 15, this narrative gradually spread across social networks and messaging services. Evidence collected by Gil showed an increase in posts reproducing similar messages, sometimes accompanied by short audiovisual content, images and comments designed to reinforce the perception that there was an imminent possibility of access to Spanish territory.
