Judge María Tardón has ordered Ceuta’s government to hand over all call records involving Juan Jesús Vivas, the city’s president, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The court is examining July 27 to July 30, 2026, when thousands of migrants pushed Ceuta’s border close to collapse.
Ceuta must provide, “A LA MAYOR URGENCIA,” a full list of calls Vivas said he made to Sánchez or his chief of staff, Diego Rubio, in sworn testimony. Judge Tardón wants to establish when the calls happened and what they covered: did Madrid receive the warnings in time, or did communication break down as the crisis unfolded? Leading Spanish media report that the court wants to clarify whether Ceuta’s alerts reached the central government promptly and clearly. Ceuta’s government says it is prepared to certify its call logs and messages before a notary and submit them as evidence in the ongoing case.
Vivas spoke to the court on September 30 and said La Moncloa had ignored him. He said he made about ten calls to the presidential palace, but only three were answered. Vivas claimed he did not speak directly with Sánchez until July 30, when the border was already out of control. Most of his contact was with Diego Rubio, Sánchez’s chief of staff. Vivas also said that between July 27 and 29, he warned the prime minister’s office and the ministers responsible for interior, territorial policy and foreign affairs. National outlets reported these details.
La Moncloa disputes Vivas’s account and has presented its own call records. Officials say there is no evidence of ten calls and claim Vivas asked to speak with Sánchez only once, on July 30; the call took place that day. Moncloa’s records show nine calls between the two administrations from July 27 to July 30, some arranged by secretaries. The dispute covers the number and direction of the calls, as well as whether Vivas’s warnings reached the prime minister quickly enough. El País and ABC report that the government maintains all communications were handled appropriately.
The court inquiry comes as Spain debates how leaders handle border emergencies. Ceuta’s crisis illustrates tensions between regional and national officials; earlier reports have described similar disputes in other high-profile cases. Questions of accountability continue to arise.
The records could have consequences beyond the city if they show Ceuta’s warnings were ignored or mishandled, and could bring tough questions for the central government. Judge Tardón’s investigation will establish what happened during those July days and could set a new standard for how Spain’s institutions respond to emergencies. The court is pressing for speed and transparency, a departure from the usual blame game. Vivas estimated that 70,000 to 80,000 migrants arrived from Morocco during the crisis. National press reports have cited no independent official figures confirming that estimate.
