Far-Right Vox Party Marks Anniversary of Spain’s Perejil Island Operation, Warns Morocco

"On the occasion of the anniversary of the liberation of the Perejil island by special operations units. This is the right time to remind Morocco that the national sovereignty of Spain is not to be touched. Bravo Zulu guerrillas," Javier Ortega Smith, the secretary general of Vox, declared on Saturday.

At the time, Spain, under the leadership of then Prime Minister José Maria Aznar, had launched a military intervention to regain control of the small island that was occupied by Morocco. After an ultimatum given to Morocco that did not react, Spain launched the assault on the island with six helicopters on July 17, 2002.

The operation, carried out in 10 minutes, allowed Spain to recover the island and plant its flag in place of the Moroccan flag.