On 16 October 2026 a Moroccan patrol boat entered the waters off Ceuta, an action described by the PP leader as a naval incursion. The vessel’s movement was treated as a violation of Spanish waters, prompting immediate political reaction.
Speaking on the same day, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the PP, demanded that the Spanish government give a "firm" and "serena" response to Morocco’s actions. He argued that the incident showed a continuous challenge to national sovereignty and urged three concrete steps: sending the Spanish Navy to Ceuta, recalling the Spanish ambassador to Morocco, and providing the Spanish people with immediate information about what had occurred.
The brief links the incursion to a recent visit by the Spanish royal family to Ceuta. Feijóo criticised the central government’s handling of the situation that followed that visit, saying the episode revealed a need for Spain to assert its sovereignty and respect in the face of what he described as repeated provocations.
Contrasting with Feijóo’s reading, the Spanish government maintained that there had been no incidents after July 30.
Feijóo went further, stating that what Morocco had said and done in the previous months "supera con creces lo admisible" for Spain, and he reiterated that "Una nación que aspira a ser respetado debe empezar haciéndose respetar".
Contrasting with Feijóo’s reading, the Spanish government maintained that there had been no incidents after July 30.
During a speech in Toledo on 16 October 2026, Feijóo repeated his call for a measured but strong reply, invoking the phrase "una respuesta 'firme' y 'serena'". He also reminded listeners that "España no tiene amo", reinforcing his view that Spain must act on its own terms when defending its territorial integrity.