Peru withdraws recognition of the Saharawi Republic: the controversy in Congress and the analysis behind the change

In September 2021, with Óscar Maúrtua as Foreign Minister, the Government announced the “restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries”. The SADR is a state with limited recognition: according to figures from the same Foreign Ministry in 2021, it maintains diplomatic relations with 42 states.

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That time, the decision was questioned by some sectors of Congress, which led the then chancellor to appear to support his position. Maúrtua maintained that the reestablishment of relations took place with respect “for international law, the self-determination of peoples and the prohibition of territorial acquisition by force; without ideological considerations.

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the diplomat he recalled the time that Peru recognized the RSAD as a state in 1984, during the government of Fernando Belaúnde Terry; and that in 1987, the government of Alan García decided to establish diplomatic relations with the RSAD, which implied recognizing the Polisario Front. This was the case until in 1996, the government of Alberto Fujimori decided to suspend relations.

Now, the Castillo government has changed its position. In a statement issued this Thursday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the change in position was reported, which occurred after a call between Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Mackay and his counterpart from Morocco, and after warning that to date there was no “effective bilateral relationship” .

It was added that Peru “values ​​and respects the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco” and that both countries agreed to “strengthen their bilateral relations.”

Controversy

The new position caused controversy in Congress and among political groups. Representatives of benches located to the right of the political spectrum welcomed the decision communicated by the Foreign Ministry, while leftist parliamentary groups and groups rejected it and have even called for the resignation of Rodríguez Mackay.

One of the first to congratulate the provisions of the Pedro Castillo government was Fujimorist Ernesto Bustamante, who was president of the Foreign Relations Commission in the last legislature. ANDhe legislator described the RSAD as “non-existent” and “misnamed” and affirmed that Peru “could not continue to be associated with a radical entity whose leaders have threatened terrorist actions in Morocco, Spain and France.”

In the same line, Congresswoman Rosselli Amuruz, alternate spokeswoman for Avanza Paíswelcomed “the gesture of the Foreign Ministry to withdraw recognition of the Saharawi Arab Republic, in defense of the integrity of all Peruvians, the fight against terrorism and good relations with democratic countries.” Juan Carlos Lizarzaburu, of Popular Force, He described the government’s announcement as “excellent.”

In Peru Libre, the spokeswoman Kelly Portalatino expressed her rejection of the decision during the presentation this Thursday of Aníbal Torres and the Ministerial Cabinet before the plenary session of Congress. In addition, a statement from the bench was released in which they branded the position as incoherent and demanded the removal of Rodríguez Mackay.

Sigrid Bazan Y Ruth Luque, from Cambio Democrático, manifested themselves in the same sense. His caucus issued a document in the afternoon calling for the chancellor’s resignation, which bears the signatures of both legislators and his fellow caucuses Edgard Raymundo and Isabel Cortez, as well as Margot Palacios and Alex Flores from Peru Libre.

Vladimir Cerrón, secretary general of Peru Libre, also called the breakup of relationships a “big mistake”. “The right-wing alignment of the Cabinet is verified,” he sentenced.

Under Scrutiny

For the internationalist Óscar Vidarte, this change in position was foreseeable with the arrival of Rodríguez Mackay to the Foreign Ministry, taking into account his previous opinions as an analyst of international affairs. However, he stressed that this represents a sign of inconsistency in the foreign policy of the current government, which less than a year ago adopted an opposite position.

In dialogue with El Comercio, Vidarte recalled that this policy is directed by President Pedro Castillo himself, regardless of the changes in the Foreign Ministry, so this can also be interpreted as a position to the right with regard to the position Peruvian policy in the region.

The internationalist added that the new announcement not only undoes the reestablishment of relations made during the Maúrtua administration, but would go against the recognition as a state that was made during the government of Fernando Belaunde. “It is not clear to me if it is possible to stop recognizing a State in such a careless and arbitrary manner,” he commented.

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