Spain's PM says networks tied to Russia and Israel spread fake news about Ceuta migration crisis

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told Cadena Ser radio that the investigation into the causes of the migration crisis in Ceuta is still ongoing, even as social media has already been swamped with fake news and disinformation on the topic.

According to Sánchez, false claims began spreading after Spain's Supreme Court ruled that migrants who swam across the border could not be summarily expelled. He said the disinformation was traced to networks of accounts linked to both Russia and Israel, as well as to the far-right international movement, which he said regularly exploits migration issues to attack not just Spain but Europe as a whole.

The prime minister was careful to note the limits of current knowledge. "The reality we're facing doesn't mean that a state actor is necessarily behind this. Unfortunately, we don't have a complete picture of what happened, we're continuing our investigation, but the government has to rely on verified facts," Sánchez said.

Background

Spain's Supreme Court ruled in early July that migrants detained while attempting to swim to Ceuta or Melilla, Spain's exclaves in North Africa, could not be summarily returned. In the two weeks that followed, thousands of migrants entered Ceuta illegally, and several dozen people died attempting the crossing.

The crisis also strained relations within Europe: Italy threatened to suspend the Schengen Agreement, prompting Spain to introduce border controls for travelers arriving from Italy by air and sea.