Morocco king defends Spain ties after Ceuta migrant rush

Morocco's King Mohammed VI defended his country's partnership with Spain on October 9 after more than 70,000 migrants entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco in late July.

Speaking at the opening of a new session of Morocco's parliament, Mohammed VI said the partnership was “a sovereign choice and a voluntary commitment” that could not be subjected to “pressure or threat” or “any form of blackmail.”

The migrant rush into Ceuta on July 30 and 31 has become a major issue in Spanish politics ahead of elections next month. Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez blamed failed Moroccan border controls and called for changes to prevent a repeat.

Mohammed VI said Morocco would present partners with a document setting out a strategic vision for co-development, economic competitiveness and regional stability, but he gave no further details.

Most of the migrants who entered Ceuta returned within hours, but thousands remained for weeks in often dire conditions. Many residents of the city, which has about 84,000 inhabitants, have accused Sanchez's government of abandoning them and have protested to demand faster expulsions.

Spain's conservative opposition leader, whose party leads most polls, opened his campaign in Ceuta this week and called the episode a sign of national decay, corruption and lies.