The President of occupied Melilla, Juan José Imbroda, said he “sympathizes” with the separatist Polisario Front in a recent interview at the Nueva Economía forum in Madrid, according to Spanish media.
The Algeria-backed militia is known for its ties to terrorist groups in the Sahel region, posing a threat to the region’s political stability.
Imbroda claimed that members of the Polisario militias were “Spanish” and should be granted Spanish nationality.
Imbroda also criticized Spain’s foreign policy under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, accusing him of “weakness” in handling relations with Morocco. He highlighted the government’s inconsistent approach to Morocco over the past seven years. “It is a grave mistake for a weak government to have a weak policy towards Morocco,” Imbroda said.
The Spanish official questioned Spain’s decision to support Morocco’s territorial integrity three years ago. “What did Morocco do? Why did we give them the Sahara, nominally speaking, in exchange for what?” he asked.
In 2021, Spain announced its support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara region, a significant shift in relations. The decision aligned with other Western nations, including the United States, and France which officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty in 2020 and 2024 respectively.