In a step that reflects the trends of Colombian foreign policy, President Gustavo Petro announced his meeting with Mohamed Zarrouk, the special representative of what is called the “Democratic Arab Sahrawi Republic in Latin America.”
According to a post on X platform, Petro confirmed the restoration of diplomatic relations with the “Sahrawi Republic” since 2022, emphasizing his longstanding support for “the independence of Western Sahara through a referendum organized by the United Nations,” as stipulated in the peace agreements signed in the 1990s.
Petro described the Sahrawi people as “the only Spanish-speaking people in Africa” due to the previous Spanish colonization, noting that he received an invitation to visit the Sahara in February.
Tension in Relations with Morocco
It is noteworthy that Gustavo Petro revived relations with the Polisario as soon as he was elected in August 2022, after Colombia was one of the countries that did not recognize the fictitious republic.
Petro also caused tensions in relations with the U.S., prompting President Donald Trump to make serious accusations against him, describing him as an “illegal drug leader.”
These accusations came in response to Petro’s criticisms of U.S. operations against drug traffickers, which he described as “murder,” leading the Trump administration to cut U.S. aid to Colombia and impose sanctions on him personally.
According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the sanctions accuse Petro of “allowing drug cartels to thrive” under his rule, despite Petro vehemently denying these claims, deeming them a “distorted narrative” aimed at tarnishing his reputation as a president seeking social reforms.
