Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi gave a speech that analyst Ignacio Cembrero says is designed to paint Spain as the guilty party in the ongoing dispute over the North African enclaves, according to LaSexta.
Cembrero, speaking on the Spanish broadcaster, argued that the minister's remarks are part of a deliberate strategy to shift blame onto Madrid rather than address the substance of the disagreements. The comments come amid heightened friction between the two countries over Ceuta and Melilla, the Spanish territories on Morocco's northern coast.
The tension has been building for weeks. Spanish media, including El Confidencial, have reported that rulings by Spain's Audiencia Nacional, the country's high court, have angered Rabat. Those decisions cited a lack of guarantees and what the court described as "deficiencies" in certain cases, though the specific details of the rulings were not included in the available reporting.
At the same time, pro-Moroccan social media activity has intensified. El Español reported that online figures loyal to King Mohammed VI have been posting aggressive messages, including claims that "Ceuta is Moroccan" and that "Spain is weak." Political analyst Taleb Alisalem told COPE that he has never seen such a sustained campaign, with many Moroccan influencers repeatedly saying Spain is occupying the cities and that Morocco must "wake up."
The Spanish government, however, has chosen not to respond directly to the rhetoric. La Vanguardia reported that Madrid has omitted any mention of Rabat's messages and is avoiding a diplomatic clash over sovereignty of the enclaves.
The situation remains delicate, with both capitals treading carefully. The key question now is whether Madrid's strategy of silence can contain the pressure, or whether the escalating online campaign will force a more direct response.
