CNI Agents Call Declassified Ceuta Papers Crude and Selective

Agents with Spain’s National Intelligence Center (CNI) have privately described the declassified documents related to the Ceuta migrant crisis as “crude” and “selective,” according to a report from theobjective.com.

The assessment, published Wednesday, comes as the Spanish government moves to declassify roughly 40 intelligence documents tied to the events preceding a mass migrant influx into the North African enclave of Ceuta. The release is part of a broader political confrontation, with the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez facing scrutiny over its handling of the crisis.

According to theobjective.com, the CNI agents’ criticism suggests the papers, as released, may not present a complete or technically polished picture of the intelligence gathered. The outlet’s reporting indicates that the documents were chosen in a way that could support a specific narrative rather than offer a full operational record.

Other Spanish media have echoed concerns about the declassification process. ABC reported on the government’s decision to release the CNI files amid a live session of parliamentary control, framing it as a response to ongoing political pressure. El Confidencial characterized the move as a “fraud” of turning classified material into campaign fodder, while La Vanguardia noted that the government proceeded without presenting evidence implicating Morocco in the border incident.

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The declassification follows a period of heightened tension in Ceuta, where thousands of migrants crossed into the Spanish territory in a single day. The government has faced questions over whether it had prior warning of the surge and how it responded.

What to watch next: Whether the full set of declassified documents will be made public, and how the CNI’s internal objections might shape the political fallout for Sánchez’s administration.