Colombia: Lawmakers denounce recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara

About 40 Colombian lawmakers have condemned President Abelardo de la Espriella’s decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara. In a statement, they described the Bogota government’s stance as “scandalous,” saying it “does not reflect the feelings of the Colombian people.”

The parliamentarians also recalled that former President Gustavo Petro “officially recognized, in August 2022,” the “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)” as a “sovereign nation, with the acceptance of its ambassador and the opening of its embassy in Bogota.” The lower house of Colombia’s Parliament has 188 members.

The statement, however, has no binding force on the Colombian government. Foreign policy falls under the prerogatives of the President of the Republic. A majority of Colombian senators, aligned with Morocco’s position, rejected, in October 2022, former President Petro’s decision to restore diplomatic relations with the “SADR.”

In all, 62 senators out of 108 expressed their “deep rejection and total disagreement” with the Foreign Ministry’s decision to resume ties with a “separatist movement” that claims to be a “state,” even though “the vast majority of countries do not recognize it, including the United Nations.” That position had no impact on Bogota’s stance under Gustavo Petro’s presidency.