Spanish Judge María Tardón Orders Ceuta Call Logs in Investigation of July 2026 Border Crisis

Judicial order for phone records

National Court Judge María Tardón issued a judicial order requiring the government of Ceuta to submit all phone logs of communications with the office of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez between 27 and 30 July 2026. The order, marked for delivery with the utmost urgency, aims to clarify official exchanges prior to the entry of 80,000 migrants into the autonomous city. The decision follows a witness statement delivered on 30 September 2026 by Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas. Vivas testified that regional authorities repeatedly attempted to alert the central government to the developing situation without receiving an adequate response.

Conflicting accounts of Moncloa warnings

During his court appearance, Vivas testified that he attempted to contact Sánchez ten times between 27 and 30 July 2026 to request immediate support. According to Vivas, the central government only answered three of those attempts, with communications handled exclusively by Moncloa Chief of Staff Diego Rubio rather than the prime minister. Vivas reported that during these exchanges on 27 July, he formally requested the declaration of a national emergency, the appointment of a single commander, and additional police deployments.

Central government officials in Madrid disputed Vivas's testimony before the court. Moncloa representatives stated that they have no record of ten calls, asserting instead that Vivas made only one request to speak directly with Sánchez on the afternoon of 30 July, which took place that same day. Vivas maintained that ministerial contacts across the departments of the interior, territorial policy, and foreign affairs treated the warnings as routine migration pressure. He provided press releases and regional government meeting transcripts to support his account.

Intelligence alerts and criminal probe into former delegate

The judicial inquiry also encompasses separate preliminary proceedings opened by Judge Tardón on 28 September 2026 regarding former Ceuta Government Delegate Miguel Ángel Pérez Triano. The investigation stems from a criminal complaint filed by the legal association Abogados Cristianos, which accuses Pérez Triano of prevarication and public disorder. Former chief of staff Gonzalo Sanz testified to the court that he had briefed Pérez Triano on 29 July 2026 regarding alerts from the National Intelligence Centre. The intelligence agency had warned of coordinated online campaigns calling for mass irregular crossings across the Tarajal breakwater and surrounding maritime routes. The legal complaint seeks to determine which administrative measures were adopted following the receipt of those intelligence warnings.

Expansion of National Court proceedings

The investigation was originally initiated following a complaint filed by the organization Iustitia Europa alleging offenses against state peace and security. Abogados Cristianos has formally requested that Judge Tardón summon both Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to provide witness testimony regarding the decision-making chain. Legal representative Polonia Castellanos emphasized the necessity of examining official responsibilities.

The courts must go all the way and determine who knew what, what decisions were made, and who must answer for them.

Judge Tardón has submitted the complaint to the public prosecutor's office to obtain a formal assessment on whether to question cabinet ministers. Additionally, the judge has requested local courts in Ceuta to transfer related complaints filed by associations including Manos Limpias, Hazte Oír, and Vox to the National Court to unify the legal proceedings.