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Rabat- The Spanish Prime Minister’s recent visit to Morocco has compounded frustration within Algeria’s regime, which has had its hope set to mend ties with Madrid after a few years of lingering tensions between the two countries.
Sources within the Algerian regime have described to the media that PM Pedro Sanchez’ visit to Morocco is a “double betrayal” against Algeria.
El Independiente quoted the sources, who said that ties between Algiers and Madrid have “entered a phase of cold peace.”
“Algerians feel doubly betrayed. The feeling among Algerian political leaders is that the Sanchez government has deceived them,” a source close to the Algerian government told the Spanish news outlet.
The source hinted that Algeria’s regime has been hoping to see Spain changing its new position by reversing support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a serious and credible political position to the dispute over Western Sahara.
The anticipation came as both Spain and Algeria expressed determination to mend and strengthen bilateral ties, especially after Algiers’ decision to appoint a new envoy.
The Algerian regime, however, received a new setback after Sanchez renewed his country’s steadfast support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the “most serious” political basis to end the dispute.
“The Spanish government reaffirms the Joint Declaration approved in 2022. In this declaration, which we endorsed during last year‘s high-level meeting between the governments of Morocco and Spain, my position on what the international community’s approach should be regarding the Western Sahara is clearly outlined,” Sanchez said last week during his visit to Morocco.
The remarks deepened frustration among the Algerian regime as they continue to support the Polisario Front, a separatist group that claims independence in Western Sahara.
Algeria finances, hosts, and arms the Polisario Front in challenging Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces.
“Once relations seemed to improve after the return of an Algerian ambassador to Madrid, the Spanish government betrayed Algerians for the second time,” the Algerian source told El Independiente.
The frustration comes as a new report admitted that Algeria has reportedly canceled Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Manuel Albares’ previously scheduled visit to Algiers at the last minute due to his refusal to discuss the Western Sahara dispute.
On Tuesday, El Confidential quoted sources familiar with the canceled trip as saying that Albares demanded that talks with Algerian officials not include the Western Sahara dispute.
The original reason for the cancellation was reported to be as a result of a schedule mishap, but recent reports confirm it was a political move.
Since 2022, marking Spain’s new pro-Morocco position, Algeria’s regime has been engaged in lobbying activities against the two countries’ determination to boost bilateral ties.
In response to Spain’s decision to endorse Morocco’s autonomy initiative, Algeria recalled its former ambassador and ended a 20-year-long friendship treaty with the European country.
