Former Spanish Official to Testify in Polisario Leader Entry Scandal

The judge of the Zaragoza investigating court, Rafael Lasala, in charge of the Brahim Ghali case, will question today Camilo Villarino, the former chief of staff of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Arancha González Laya, and the lieutenant general of the general staff of the Air Force, Francisco Javier Fernández Sánchez, reports La Razon.

To read: Former Spanish Diplomat Summoned in Polisario Leader Entry Probe

Villarino would be the one who ordered the air force not to subject Brahim Ghali to customs formalities upon his arrival on April 18 in a medicalized plane at the Zaragoza air base. According to Judge Lasala, there is no evidence that the military command knew the identity of the person arriving in Spain "without a diplomatic passport or was exempt for any reason from passport and customs control".

The public prosecutor’s office led by Antonio Urdiales argues that the WhatsApp exchanges between Villarino and the general are "so edifying", because "one orders the other to violate all the principles of border control in the Schengen area". For the prosecution, it is a "plan perfectly prepared by Villarino’s superiors and the general himself to get Ghali into Spain". And to add that Villarino "did not act in the legitimate exercise of his function", thus causing a serious diplomatic crisis with Morocco.

To read: Spanish Judge Probes Authorization of Polisario Leader’s Controversial Entry

The former second-in-command of the air force told the judge on July 13 that following communications with the Foreign Ministry, "he was personally responsible for transferring to the general commander of the Zaragoza air base the order not to check the documents of the Polisario Front leader, who had arrived in Spain for humanitarian reasons".

As for Villarino, he had indicated in writing to the judge that in response to General Fernández Sánchez’s question as to whether "customs or immigration procedures should be carried out", he had simply stated "that this was not necessary, this response being perfectly in line with both established practice and current legislation".

To read: Polisario Leader Ghali Left Spain Without Passport, Police Report Reveals

The Polisario Front leader was admitted on April 18 to the San Pedro de Logroño hospital, where he remained until June 1, the date of his appearance before the judge of the National Court, before returning to Algeria a few hours later.