A Spanish judge, Maria Tardon, has requested phone records between Juan Jesus Vivas, the mayor of the Moroccan city of Ceuta, and the Spanish Prime Minister's office. The request is part of an investigation into a mass migration incident that occurred in July 2021, where approximately 80,000 migrants entered Ceuta from Morocco.
According to Judge Tardon, Vivas had claimed to have made multiple attempts to contact the Prime Minister's office to warn them of the situation, but was only able to speak with the Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, on July 30, 2021. Vivas described the incident as a "real invasion" that required exceptional measures such as reinforcing security forces and declaring a national state of emergency.
However, the Spanish Prime Minister's office has denied Vivas' account, stating that there is no evidence of multiple calls and that Vivas only requested to speak with Sanchez once on July 30, 2021. The Prime Minister's office also claims that their records show nine calls were answered, and that Vivas did not use any other official channels to communicate with them.
The city of Ceuta has since documented its phone records with a notary, in anticipation of the judge's request. The records are expected to be submitted to the investigation in the coming hours. This move aims to verify Vivas' account and determine if there was any negligence or delay in responding to warnings prior to the migrant crisis.
The incident has sparked a dispute between the city of Ceuta and the Spanish Prime Minister's office, with each side presenting different accounts of the communication that took place prior to the migrant crisis. The investigation is ongoing, and the phone records are expected to shed more light on the events leading up to the crisis.
The mass migration incident in Ceuta was one of the largest in the city's modern history. The city's authorities had requested additional support and measures to address the situation, but the Spanish government has faced criticism for its handling of the crisis.
The case highlights the complexities of communication and coordination between local and national authorities in responding to emergencies. The investigation's outcome and the release of the phone records may have implications for the city's authorities and the Spanish government's response to similar incidents in the future.
Key points
- A Spanish judge has requested phone records between Ceuta's mayor and the Spanish Prime Minister's office amid a probe into a mass migration incident.
- The city of Ceuta and the Spanish Prime Minister's office have presented different accounts of the communication that took place prior to the migrant crisis.
- The investigation's outcome and the release of the phone records may have implications for the city's authorities and the Spanish government's response to similar incidents in the future.
