Sahara : Elected members of Podemos urge Joe Biden to drop Trump's decision

Members of Podemos, a political party in Spain, have signed a letter submitted by MEPs calling on US President-elect Joe Biden to drop the recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara. According to Europa Press, MEPs Lucía Muñoz, Antón-Gómez Reino and ERC MEP Joan Josep Nuet are behind the initiative.

In this letter, the elected members of Podemos explain that they are «obliged to react because the decision affects the rights of a third party», referring to Sahrawis, while ensuring that they have «no intention of interfering in a sovereign decision of the United States in international relations». According to them, this recognition is «a serious violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations».

The group stressed «the inalienable right of the Saharawi people to self-determination» and said that  the separatist movement Polisario is the «one and only legitimate representative of this people».

Podemos is known for its proximity to the separatist movement. Indeed, in November 2020, its secretary general Pablo Iglesias, also second vice-president of the Spanish government, has supported the Polisario claims in the case of Guerguerate.