Brasília, August 30, 2024 (SPS) - More than one hundred political, academic, and social figures from all Latin American countries and other regions of the world have issued a statement urging Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to correct his country's stance on Western Sahara and calling on him to pressure Morocco to end its unjust occupation of the Sahrawi Republic's territory. This comes in the wake of a recent visit by Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira to Morocco.
This initiative by these figures was a response to a statement made by the Brazilian diplomat, which unexpectedly announced Brazil's serious alignment with Morocco's illegal position regarding the decolonization of Western Sahara.
The statement reads, "We respectfully turn to comrade President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Brazilian Workers' Party, in line with their history and the decisions of solidarity with the Sahrawi Republic issued at the 26th São Paulo Forum held last year in Brasília, and the 27th Forum of Socialist Forces in Tegucigalpa in June 2024, asking for his intervention to correct the position that Minister Mauro Vieira has adopted alongside the minister of the occupying Moroccan government."
"We kindly request comrade President Lula to establish diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Republic and to play, just as Brazil raised its voice in defense of the Palestinian people, a positive and active international role in upholding law and international legitimacy in support of the just cause of the Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination and independence, the statement added."