Not even two weeks after about 80,000 migrants from Morocco breached the border of the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta, causing upheaval in the autonomous city, Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi reiterated Morocco’s territorial claim to Ceuta, saying that the question of its status “remains on the table” in meetings between representatives of Spain and Morocco.

That was not surprising. As I wrote back in 2007 for the Strategic Studies Group:

The autonomous regions of Ceuta and Melilla are seen by Islamists as the opening fronts in their anticipated reconquest of Spain. Last year a North African group calling itself Nadim al-Magrebi warned of a holy war against the infidel Spanish state, which has occupied the two cities. Al-Qaeda's number two, Ayman Zawahiri, has called for Islamic land to be reconquered from Al-Ándalus to Iraq and compared the Spanish occupation of Ceuta and Melilla to the Russian occupation of Chechnya and the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

What has also been unsurprising is Socialist Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s consistent defense of Morocco throughout the crisis. Even Reuters noted it in an article about the prime minister attempting to counter claims from a September Spanish police report that Moroccan authorities enabled the invasion of Ceuta: “Sanchez has repeatedly defended Morocco during the crisis, highlighting Rabat’s cooperation in returning the majority of the migrants in the days following the surge.” While defending Morocco, he's also been busy blaming Israel, Russia, and the international far right for the crisis.

New developments this week raise questions about Sánchez’s defense of Spain’s North African neighbor. On Monday, the prime minister confirmed that Moroccan navy vessels entered Spanish waters off Ceuta without permission. El País reported that at least one frigate and several patrol boats from the Royal Moroccan Navy sailed through Spanish waters during and after the invasion without seeking authorization, and that a Spanish frigate had to intercept the warships.

Sánchez of course downplayed the significance of this information that, according to El Español, he didn’t reveal for 74 days. Reuters reported that TVE quoted him as saying that between neighboring countries, “such isolated incidents do occur.” He added that “cooperation between the navies remains smooth.”

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One person who was less reassured about this information was Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida of the conservative People’s Party, who said this was further evidence of Moroccan authorities’ complicity in Ceuta's invasion, arguing they must have known about and consented to the 80,000 border crossers and the warships. He added: “One of the things I hope for from a change of government is to find out what Morocco knows about Sánchez."

The mayor hopes for that change of government to happen after the snap election Sánchez called for November 29. Someone who doesn’t want to see a change of government is the aforementioned Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi. Another political opponent of Sánchez, Vox leader Santiago Abascal, linked to an X post in which Ouahbi clearly hints that Moroccans living in Ceuta and the rest of Spain should use their political power to vote for Sánchez’s PSOE party. Abascal wrote, “I’ve been saying for weeks that this guy is Morocco’s candidate, and some people raise their eyebrows when they hear me say it. It’s absolutely accredited. It’s incontestable. Sánchez is the Moroccan candidate for 29-N.”

In a segment on Antena 3 Noticias, political analyst Taleb Alisalem said that Sánchez is also the preferred candidate of Moroccan King Mohammed VI, and claimed, “There is a propaganda campaign, a synchronized campaign by the Moroccan regime, calling for votes for the Socialist party and for Pedro Sánchez.” He says there are 300,000 to 350,000 Moroccans living in Spain with the right to vote. Is there any doubt about what Sánchez’s goal was with his mass amnesty plan to grant legal status to more than half a million people?

     Related: So, How's Spain Mass Amnesty Working Out?

The good news for those who care about Spain’s survival is that plenty of Spaniards share Abascal’s view that Sánchez does not have Spanish citizens’ interests foremost in mind. Spaniards are increasingly venting their rage at their prime minister in protests across the nation, and it was on full display when he attended Spain’s October 12 National Day parade. Watch as he is greeted with shouts of “Pedro Sánchez, son of a b****!” and "Ceuta is not for sale!"

     Related: Pedro Sánchez Humiliation Clips Are Must-Watch

Abascal, meanwhile, spent October 12 in Ceuta, where he said, "We will not forget our compatriots who have suffered an invasion sponsored by Morocco and permitted by Sánchez."