Morocco Escalates Diplomatic Tensions with Spain over Polisario Leader’s Hospitalization

The subject of discord remains the same: the admission of the "President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)" to Logroño, near Zaragoza, in Spain, on April 21, under a false identity. In an interview with EFE, Nasser Bourita expressed his disappointment. He says he has asked his Spanish counterpart about the admission of Brahim Ghali in Spain in secret and with a false passport and the lack of reaction from the Spanish justice system in the face of the many complaints filed by the victims of the Polisario leader without receiving any response.

An attitude that leads the head of diplomacy to say: "We will see if the reality and sincerity of our relationship is not just a slogan." In Nasser Bourita’s eyes, the fact that Spain has accepted the admission of Brahim Ghali in a hospital in Logroño, for "humanitarian reasons" is proof that the Spanish authorities have preferred to "turn a blind eye" to the "atrocities" committed by the "President of the SADR". "He is a rapist who has tolerated slavery, torture, the use of child soldiers and genocide and Spain knows this better than anyone else," said Nasser Bourita. "Does Spain want to sacrifice its relationship with Morocco for this person?" he wonders.

The minister also recalls that Morocco supported Spain when Carles Puigdemont, a Catalan MEP and former president, was working for the independence of Catalonia. "When Spain had to face separatism (Catalan, ed.), Morocco was very clear at the highest level. We rejected any contact and any interaction with them while informing our partners (Spanish, ed.). When they (the Catalans, ed.) asked to be received, we demanded the presence of a representative of the Spanish embassy," Nasser Bourita assured.

The head of Moroccan diplomacy castigates an "à la carte relationship" with Morocco, which maintains "political, economic, commercial, human and security" ties with Spain. "When it comes to conspiring with Algeria and the Polisario, Morocco is off the radar, but when it comes to talking about migration or terrorism, Morocco becomes important again," he lamented.