Nearly 70 percent of Spaniards believe Morocco is blackmailing Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, according to an NC Report survey published on August 5 and cited by academic Francisco Marhuenda. Writing in an opinion article published on August 6, 2026, Marhuenda argued that Morocco cannot be criticized because it is simply defending its national interests.
Marhuenda stated that Sanchez prioritizes remaining in La Moncloa Palace above all else. He compared the current diplomatic stance to negotiations over Gibraltar, which he described as one of the largest absurdities in Spanish history. He added that Spain gave away everything in exchange for nothing, noting that Picardo could have demanded even further concessions.
According to Marhuenda, Spain gained no benefit from the Gibraltar negotiations. He argued that Spain could have lived without any problems by building an impassable wall and directing resources toward local economic growth to end the colony anomaly on Spanish soil.
Pegasus Cyber Intrusions
Marhuenda raised the topic of cyber intrusions into Sanchez's mobile phone using Pegasus spyware in May 2021 to explain Rabat's leverage. The hacking took place during a major diplomatic and migration crisis sparked by the hospitalization in Spain of Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario Front.
The phone hacking reportedly exploited an official trip taken by the prime minister to Ceuta and Melilla. Spain's Audiencia Nacional opened formal proceedings, but the judicial case suffered constant blockages and provisional archives due to technical limits in tracing digital authorship and a lack of international cooperation.
Sensitive Data and Sahara Policy
Marhuenda noted that whoever holds the 2.57 gigabytes of sensitive information extracted from the phone has refused to share it. He wrote that Morocco has no interest in provoking the downfall of Sanchez, preferring his administration over memories of the Perejil Island conflict or fear of the immigration policies of the Vox party.
Marhuenda pointed to the migration invasion of Ceuta as an example of how easily Rabat can pressure the Spanish leader. He stated that despite angry denials, Rabat obtained a major shift in Spain's policy toward Western Sahara along with billions of euros in aid.
Marhuenda concluded by warning that a blackmailer can never be satisfied. He is a professor of public law and history of institutions at UNIE, an academician of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation of Spain and the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain, and a corresponding academician of the Royal Academy of History.
