“The government of the Republic of Guatemala supports Morocco's efforts to find a political solution to this regional dispute.”
Rabat – Guatemala has joined an expanding cohort of Latin American countries to extol the merits and legitimacy of Morocco’s Western Sahara stance.
In remarks following a working visit to Morocco this week, Guatemala’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Fernando Carranza Cifuentes, said his country supports Morocco’s autonomy proposal and its commitment to territorial integrity.
“The government of the Republic of Guatemala supports Morocco’s efforts to find a political solution to this regional dispute and considers that the autonomy initiative presented by the Kingdom of Morocco in 2007 constitutes the realistic, credible and serious basis for achieving a negotiated outcome between the parties, in the context of respect for Morocco’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” the minister said at a joint press conference with Morocco’s Nasser Bourita on Friday, September 20.
Cifuentes lauded Morocco’s “credible” and “serious” efforts for a negotiated settlement in the longstanding conflict. Guatemala joined a growing trend of countries in its region supporting Morocco’s position in the decades-long conflict.
The past months marked a wave of Latin American support for Morocco’s territorial integrity in its southern provinces.
Pro-Morocco messages from countries like Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Peru ignited suggestions of a Moroccan “diplomatic remontada” in Latin America. Morocco’s diplomacy has made notable gains, securing the region’s trust and support. Latin America was formerly known as a bastion of pro-Polisario sentiment.
At the joint press conference on Friday, Cifuentes was also full of praise for Morocco’s commitment to South-South diplomacy as well the kingdom’s role in various global initiatives.
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He spoke of Morocco’s visible role in promoting South-South Cooperation and driving international discussions on topics of global significance, such as migration and counter-terrorism.
“The Republic of Guatemala commends the efforts of HM King Mohammed VI for peace and stability throughout the world,” he said.