The head of Spain's intelligence service, Jorge Dezcallar de Mazarredo, has attributed the strained relations between Spain and Morocco to the recent improvement in ties between Algeria and Madrid. Dezcallar, a former Spanish ambassador to Morocco, stated that Moroccan officials have struggled to accept this development. He noted that Rabat has taken reckless actions, including the orchestrated entry of at least 80,000 irregular Moroccan migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
Dezcallar's comments to Spanish media outlets shed light on the complexities of the relationships between Spain, Morocco, and Algeria. He mentioned that the Moroccan regime was angered by the resumption of relations between Spain and Algeria, which had experienced a diplomatic rupture between March 2022 and April 2024. Algerian Ambassador Abdelfattah Daghmoum returned to Madrid after a two-year absence, marking a significant improvement in ties.
The former Spanish security official also linked the tensions between Morocco and Spain to the Spanish parliament's vote in favour of granting Spanish nationality to Sahrawis. This move demonstrated Spain's greater independence in its position on the Western Sahara issue, according to Dezcallar. He believes that these elements may have led Rabat to believe that there had been a change in Spanish policy toward the Moroccan regime.
Dezcallar further explained that Moroccan authorities believed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and senior members of his government had become dependent on Rabat. This perception was fueled by the alleged hacking of their mobile phones using spyware developed by the Israeli company NSO Group, known as the Pegasus affair. As a result, Dezcallar interpreted the mass arrival of irregular migrants in Ceuta as a message from Rabat to Madrid.
The mass influx of migrants occurred shortly after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's visit to Algeria on July 20. This timing contributed to a narrative that had been advanced by European media outlets and led to the European Parliament's adoption of a resolution criticising the Moroccan regime for using irregular migration as a means of exerting pressure on Spain.
Dezcallar warned Spanish authorities against making concessions to Morocco over the Western Sahara issue. He stated that if the Spanish government believes that making concessions will bring calm to Ceuta and Melilla, it does not know the Moroccan regime. Relations between Spain and Morocco are currently strained, while ties between Algeria and Madrid have begun to stabilise following an unprecedented crisis.
The relationships between Spain, Morocco, and Algeria remain complex and sensitive. Dezcallar's comments highlight the challenges of navigating these relationships, particularly with regards to the Western Sahara issue. As tensions between Spain and Morocco continue, it remains to be seen how these dynamics will evolve in the future.
Key points
- Former Spanish intelligence head Jorge Dezcallar de Mazarredo attributes strained Spain-Morocco relations to improved ties between Algeria and Madrid.
- Dezcallar warns Spanish authorities against making concessions to Morocco over the Western Sahara issue.
- The European Parliament has criticised the Moroccan regime for using irregular migration as a means of exerting pressure on Spain.
