Morocco Vows Retaliation Against Spain Over Polisario Leader’s Departure

Morocco is preparing an appropriate response to Spain’s attitude which, according to it, "facilitated the escape" of Brahim Ghali to Algeria, a few hours after his appearance before the High National Court. The Moroccan authorities plan drastic measures against Spain, reports El Español, which informs that King Mohammed VI would have held a crisis meeting on this subject at the palace in Fez, with his personal advisor, Fouad Ali Himma, and the head of the General Directorate of Studies and Documentation (DGED), Yassine Mansouri, and a senior officer of the Royal Armed Forces.

From credible sources, it emerges from this meeting that the Spanish ambassador to Rabat would soon be invited to leave the country, indicates the same source, which specifies that this diplomatic decision will not affect the commercial relations between the two countries. "Morocco has no problem with Spanish citizens, economic operators, cultural actors and tourists, who are welcomed as friends and neighbors in the country," the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs reassured on Monday in a statement.

After spending 44 days at the San Pedro de Logroño hospital, the Polisario leader took off on Wednesday from Pamplona airport to the Algerian capital on board a French civilian plane chartered by the Algerian authorities. The Spanish government has informed the Moroccan authorities diplomatically of Ghali’s return to Algeria, stating that "he is leaving with the same identity documents with which he entered Spain on April 18." The Polisario leader left Spain 12 hours after his appearance on June 1. In his order, Judge Santiago Pedraz decided that "there is no need to order pre-trial detention or any other type of personal precautionary measure against Brahim Ghali."

The reception of Brahim Ghali in Spain has provoked a serious diplomatic crisis between Morocco and Spain. In reaction to this attitude of Spain, Morocco turned a blind eye to the entry into Ceuta of more than 10,000 migrants, between May 17 and 18. Spain, to ease the pressure, indicated that it remains Morocco’s best ally in Europe. At the same time, it maintains its position on the sovereignty of the Sahara.