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Polisario representatives attended the second inauguration of Nicolas Maduro as President of Venezuela, which took place Thursday, January 10th. The Front’s delegation was led by «the Minister Delegate in charge of Latin America and the Caribbean» Mansour Omar and a number of «officials».
On the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of Maduro, the Polisario delegation held a series of meetings with Venezuelan officials, including the country’s Foreign Minister.
According to the Front’s news agency, Mansour Omar alongside the Front’s «Ambassador to Venezuela» Mohammed Salem Daha were received, Friday, by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza.
During this meeting, the Polisario delegation and the Venezuelan official discussed «issues of mutual interest, their excellent relations and means of developing them», the same source reported.
Moreover, the Front’s delegation «briefed the Venezuelan minister on the latest developments of the Western Sahara conflict».
A «controversial election»
The inauguration of the current Venezuelan President has been surrounded by a couple of constraints. In fact, Maduro won a «controversial election» in May which was boycotted by the opposition, says AFP.
Moreover, Maduro’s second term was highly criticized by the United States, the European Union and the Organization of American States, the same source added.
The US has even backed opposition leader Juan Guaido, who said Friday that the «constitution gives the legislature the right to assume transitional power after declaring Maduro a usurper».
Meanwhile in the Front, pro-Polisario newspaper Futuro Sahara criticized the election of Maduro, comparing the Venezuelan president to Brahim Ghali. The same source claimed that the two men have «many things in common».
A long diplomatic rupture
Morocco, on the other hand, did not attend the inauguration of the Venezuelan President although Rabat has tried in the last couple of months to reestablish diplomatic relations with Caracas.
Indeed, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza paid Morocco a visit on the 10th and 11th of December to attend the Intergovernmental Conference, hosted in Marrakech to ratify the Global Compact on Migration. On the sidelines of this event, the senior official, held a meeting with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita.
This meeting was highlighted by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry through Twitter. «Through Marrakech, Venezuela contributes to multipolarity and supports the strengthening of friendly relations between nations», wrote the ministry, reporting that «Minister Jorge Arreaza met with Nasser Bourita, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation».
The meeting that brought the Venezuelan Foreign Minister and his Moroccan counterpart together is the second of its kind. In fact, the two ministers met on September the 27th in New York on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.
For the record, Rabat cut diplomatic ties with Caracas in January 2009. Morocco summoned its ambassador in the Latin American country for supporting the Polisario Front.
