The keys to the CNI's messages with the Government and the Civil Guard in the days prior to the Ceuta crisis: only the National Police warned of a "massive entry"

The Government of Pedro Sánchez has made public 40 documents related to the entry of more than 70,000 people into Ceuta between July 30 and 31. Among the disseminated documentation are the communications maintained by the National Intelligence Center (CNI) with the Cabinet of the Government Delegation in Ceuta and with the Civil Guard during the days prior to the crisis.

The first exchange of messages occurred on July 27 between the CNI in Ceuta and the Cabinet of the Government Delegation. At 11:20 a.m., the Delegation informed the CNI that it was going to hold an "urgent meeting with city, cnp and gc for swimmers issue," in reference to the situation related to people attempting to access by swimming. The CNI responded "Ok" and asked: "Have you had it yet??". The Delegation replied that they had been meeting since 9:30 a.m. and the CNI added: "Well, when you have a moment, we'll talk."

The next day, July 28, the CNI again contacted the Cabinet of the Government Delegation. At 10:00 a.m. it asked: "Good morning. How was yesterday's meeting?" Hours later, at 5:07 p.m., the CNI sent the Delegation a poster for a concentration called for August 2 under the slogan “CEUTA RAISES ITS VOICE,” accompanied by the message: "I imagine you will have seen this." The communication was made, according to the documentation, to warn of its possible consequences on public order.

The most relevant communication occurred on July 29, just one day before the start of the massive entry. At 11:18 a.m., the CNI sent the Government Delegation a screenshot of a social media profile from Castillejos that contained information about a supposed agreement between Spain and Morocco to return migrants to Morocco. After sending the information, the CNI asked: "Is there anything firm?".

But it was at 13:52 when the CNI transferred a more concrete alert. In a message addressed to the Cabinet of the Government Delegation, it stated: "On social media there is a call for an assault by fence and sea tomorrow at 8 p.m." It then explained that the alleged attempt would occur taking advantage of the Throne Day in Morocco and that its security forces would be occupied: "Taking advantage of Throne Day and their Security Forces." The CNI added that there were "two different groups with a total of 180,000 followers" and remarked: "So you get an idea of the reach of the dissemination." The Delegation responded: "Their rilas" and subsequently held an 11-minute call with the CNI at 9:34 p.m.

That same July 29, the CNI also directly contacted UCE-3 of the Civil Guard. At 13:53, it made a call that was not answered and, subsequently, wrote to the person in charge: "XXXX I'm calling you about the situation in Ceuta." In the next message, it conveyed the information it had: "We have information about an attempt to enter by swimming and jumping the fence for tomorrow, Throne Day." The CNI added: "We have several groups on Fb and WhatsApp incentivizing these entries."

Minutes later, at 13:59, UCE-3 responded to the CNI after a missed call. The head of the Civil Guard apologized because he was out: "xxxxxx forgive me, all this issue caught me out and it's not easy for me to fix." He then explained who was available to deal with the situation and added: "You can call me too." At 14:41, both finally held a call of 7 minutes and 38 seconds.

The communications therefore occurred between July 27 and 29, before the massive entry that took place between the 30th and 31st. The documentation reflects that the CNI provided authorities with information about possible entries by sea and by the fence and about the dissemination of calls on social media. In these messages, however, the explicit reference to a "massive entry" does not appear in the CNI communications collected during these three days, but in other police communications included in the documentation disseminated by the Government.

The National Police warns of "massive entries" 

A document from the National Immigration and Borders Center (CENIF) of the National Police, dated July 29, states that "internal communications in migrant groups" had been detected, attempting to organize "massive entries on the night of 07/29/2026," combining land routes and swimming entries "to cause the greatest possible collapse."

Another police alert from the 29th directly pointed to July 30. CENIF reported that it had obtained information about a "potential risk of irregular entries" in Ceuta and Melilla "scheduled for July 30, 2026." And it developed three scenarios: entry by swimming, with high probability; entry by swimming plus fence jumping, with medium probability; and a coordinated action by sea and fence, with medium-low probability but with "EXTREME" risk.