Moncloa releases phone records to rebut Ceuta president over July border crisis alerts

Conflicting accounts of pre-crisis calls

The central government of Spain published internal telephone records on 1 October 2026 to dispute statements by Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas. Vivas testified on 30 September before Audiencia Nacional Judge María Tardón regarding the migrant entry into the autonomous city on 30 and 31 July. Following his testimony, Vivas told reporters that his administration attempted to reach Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez ten times between 27 and 30 July. He stated that only three calls succeeded, all with Sánchez's chief of staff, Diego Rubio. Vivas said Rubio treated the events as a routine migration crisis and instructed Ceuta to communicate through the local Government Delegation.

“We have not lied at any time. The calls to Moncloa since 27 July are registered. The first one was made at eight-thirty in the morning to convey the difficult situation we were experiencing.”

Moncloa details communication records

Moncloa published its logs after reviewing phones used by Sánchez, Rubio, the deputy director, and secretarial staff. Central government officials stated that authorities exchanged nine calls with Vivas's cabinet between 27 and 30 July, with each call answered immediately or returned within minutes. According to Moncloa, the first call occurred at 8:39 on 27 July between Vivas's chief of staff, Pablo García, and Rubio, lasting six minutes. Moncloa stated that Ceuta requested assistance for reception facilities and mainland transfers, without requesting a national emergency declaration or police reinforcements.

The government log detailed a second call at 13:07 on 27 July lasting three minutes, where Ceuta sought support for 500 arrivals by sea and 100 to 200 expected individuals. On 28 July at 8:16, García texted asking to speak, prompting Rubio to call at 8:30 before texting that ministries were addressing the situation. Vivas stated that on 30 July at 12:00, Rubio told him that Sánchez did not need to speak with him directly. Sánchez called Vivas at 13:00 on 30 July during the crossing, which Vivas described as their only direct conversation.

Sheltered minors before 10-day surge180

Sheltered minors after 10-day surge800

Total arrivals across 10-day period1,500

Sheltered minors before 10-day surge

180 people

Sheltered minors after 10-day surge

800 people

Total arrivals across 10-day period

1500 people

Data from the article text

Judicial inquiry and intelligence warnings

The dispute over call logs coincides with Audiencia Nacional proceedings investigating the July border crossing. Judge María Tardón conducted witness hearings on 1 October, questioning former Ceuta Local Police chief Sebastián Vega at 10:00. At 12:00, the court heard Gonzalo Sanz, former chief of staff to former Government Delegate Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano. Sanz resigned on 11 September after stating in his resignation letter that he passed National Intelligence Centre (CNI) warnings about a mass crossing to Pérez Triano on the day they arrived. Pérez Triano resigned on 28 September.

Institutional friction and royal contacts

During his court appearance, Vivas stated that Ceuta had registered 1,500 arrivals over a ten-day period before 30 July, causing sheltered minor numbers to rise from 180 to 800. Following a meeting in Seville with Andalusian Regional President Juanma Moreno on 1 October, Vivas addressed the lack of intergovernmental coordination on reception capacities. Vivas also stated that King Felipe VI contacted him five times following the July incident, including a call on 1 October confirming an official visit to Ceuta on 13 October. Vivas contrasted those five royal contacts with the single call from Prime Minister Sánchez.