Morocco considers it unlikely that the leader of the Popular Party, Alberto Nunez Viejo, will be the next head of government. So much so that the government of that country has already begun to prepare an “affectionate” welcome, where no … There are very serious warnings missing, in the sense that they will not stand idly by if the new head of the Spanish executive tries to correct the course set by Pedro Sánchez in Its relations with that country. Naturally, the use of migration flows for destabilizing purposes, the harshest example of which is the entry of thousands of migrants into Ceuta on May 18, 2021, will be their first reaction.
The Rabat government follows Figo’s every move with great interest, giving him many opportunities to gain power once elections are called. The PP leader’s publicly stated intention is for Spain to return to the previous position on the Sahara, which Sánchez changed in an abrupt manner and without offering explanations; His desire that our country should maintain its splendid neutrality in North Africa, and Your design The normalization of relations with Algeria is not viewed with sympathy by the Moroccan authorities, which have already begun to take their first steps.
The excuse – you always have to look for it in these cases – was found by Rabat in a series of popular parliamentary initiatives; On Figo’s last trip to Melilla, and later, at a meeting of middle cadres of the PP with members of the Polisario Front, which was exaggerated by some media outlets in an interested way, in what remains a disinformation campaign to justify subsequent actions, according to experts consulted by ABC.
If these were the justifications, then the medium used to issue the warnings was Moroccan digital; But not just any one company, but Le360, owned by Mohamed Mounir El Majidi, the personal secretary of Mohamed VI. The terms in which the official media express themselves leave no room for doubt Rabat was angry with Figo. He writes: “The Popular Party, the main opposition party in the neighboring country to the north, launched a diplomatic, media and political attack against Morocco. This sequence is neither improvised nor cute. It combines a parliamentary initiative directed against the official position of the Spanish state, an exploitative humanitarian legal discourse, political theater in Melilla, commercial hostility towards Moroccan products, and resort to the sensitive issue of sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla. But the matter did not stop there: “The People’s Party does not defend Spain. “He insists on fighting against a reality that has already transcended him.”
Going to Melilla, another provocation
Regarding Figo’s visit to Melilla, the Moroccan official press warned: “The trip to Melilla was presented as an act of defense of ‘Spanish sovereignty’, with a speech that insisted that Ceuta and Melilla were Spanish and European cities and that it was necessary to strengthen the institutional and security presence in them.” The message is not directed to Morocco, but to… Internal public opinion. “It is about suggesting that the current executive authority does not provide adequate protection for these enclaves and that Morocco will pose a fundamental threat.” For these media, the actions of the leader of the People’s Party in the autonomous city were a “symbolic provocation.”
Experts in the field of security and international relations consulted by ABC confirm that the reaction of the Moroccan official press is a “clear warning to sailors”: “The message they are sending is that the new government, if formed, Sanchez’s current policy must be respected; If changes occur, Morocco will take action, and the first thing it will do is open its hand to illegal immigration to Spain, aware of the destabilizing potential it entails.
“They are warning the People’s Party that if there is a change in government, the current rules of the game must be respected.”
They added, “The avalanche in Ceuta was a sign of what came before and after.” It doesn’t seem like they would do something like that right away, but it would be very easy for them to let it happen Migrant camps The people of Sub-Saharan Africa, now far from the border walls of the autonomous cities, will be next to each other again, so that the jumps can resume… With Morocco, it will always be like this; “They have a very powerful weapon and they will not hesitate to use it.”
The truth is that cooperation with that country is essential in two fundamental aspects. The first, as previously mentioned, is combating illegal immigration. The second is cooperation against jihadist terrorism, a relationship in this area that concerns us more than them Hot area Which represents the area of influence of Castillejos. “They are warning the People’s Party that if there is a change in government, the current rules of the game must be respected. There is no room for change without affecting these two issues. If he is sentenced, he should know the risks he faces in this matter.
About the humanitarian situation in the desert
A national rescue plan was approved on November 17 urging the government to “respect international law and UN resolutions” in the Sahara and allocate 7 million to refugees. All parties joined except the Socialist Workers Party.
Restoring full relations with Algeria
On 18 November, the other National Liberation Party of the People’s Party was voted to adopt “diplomatic and political measures to restore full relations with Algeria”, which had deteriorated since Sánchez unilaterally declared the Moroccan identity of the Sahara in 2022.
Determining the fate of the desert
Although it was an initiative of Soumar, a partner in the Sánchez government, the final text of this national liberation plan was agreed upon with the People’s Party, which did not hesitate to join in order to affirm the right of the Sahrawi people to decide whether they wanted to belong to Morocco or not. It seeks to restore Spain’s historical position in relation to the territory.
Respect the Court of Justice of the European Union
Another approved text urges Spain to defend within the European Union compliance with rulings of the European Court of Justice that annulled agricultural and fishing agreements between Brussels and Rabat to annex Western Sahara, because it would conflict with Spanish farmers and fishermen.
A few days ago, Josep Borrell said that it is very difficult to negotiate economically with someone on whom your security depends, referring to tariffs from the United States to Europe. Something like this is happening to Spain with Morocco, insist the sources consulted, who nevertheless believe that “we must have the ability to deter if we do not want to be at their mercy, that is, they must know it.” We can also hurt them If necessary, we will do so. Of course, it is not about the threat of armed confrontations, but about other types of initiatives. Such as making its relations with Europe difficult for Morocco or isolating it by strangling its economy, in addition to Spain having a defense system through which it can avoid violent actions of any kind.
The first thing the People’s Party must do once it reaches government is to clarify the content of Sánchez’s letter to the King of Morocco in which he expressed Spain’s role regarding the Sahara.
In light of this scenario, sources consulted by ABC explain that they at PP “are aware of Reports issued by Morocco», But they will in no way give up meeting with whomever they want – such as Polisario Front leader Abdullah Arabi – and they will not stop going to Ceuta and Melilla either. This does not mean that they want harmony with Morocco, but “not at any cost”, and in any case, it will not be at the expense of autonomous cities, sovereignty over the waters of the Canary Islands, the work of farmers or the system of passage of citizens and goods through customs.
In his desire to establish good relations with Rabat, Figo had already announced that his first trip as head of the executive would be to Morocco, a tradition that Sanchez broke when he arrived in Moncloa and greatly angered Rabat. According to another source consulted, it stands to reason that the first thing the Attorney General should do once he arrives in government is to clarify the terms that have been written Message from Pedro Sanchez To the King of Morocco in which he reversed the Copernican transformation of Spain regarding the Sahara. “Because saying that Morocco’s proposal is the most realistic option is not the same as saying it is the only possible option,” explains one diplomat, realizing that language in these matters is always important. In addition, just a few days ago, Atalaiyar – another official media outlet – published a legal study saying that after the UN resolution on the Sahara, Morocco also has the right to the territorial waters of the Canary Islands.
Whether policy towards Rabat changes or not, Morocco is expected to test the Paris Protocol Punishing Spain with more immigrationBecause that is what he does with all new Spanish governments, regardless of their colour.