Morocco’s secret war in latin america against polisario

Unveiled for the first time, a trove of confidential diplomatic dispatches from Morocco’s embassy in Caracas has laid bare a covert intelligence operation targeting the Polisario Front. Dated October 2008, the documents—sent directly to Yassine El Mansouri, head of the DGED—reveal how Rabat exploited tribal divisions within the separatist movement and leveraged diplomatic pressure in Central America to undermine both the Polisario and Algeria’s regional influence.

The correspondence, signed by Ambassador Dr Brahim Housseine Moussa, exposes a carefully orchestrated strategy to destabilize the Sahrawi movement by exploiting internal fractures and geopolitical shifts across Latin America.

Exploiting tribal rivalries to fracture the polisario

The heart of Rabat’s plan hinged on a high-level defection: a former Polisario envoy to Panama and Central America, operating under the pseudonym M. Sliman, reached out to Moroccan diplomats with a damning assessment of the movement’s internal strife. Sliman, a native of Dakhla from the Oulad Dlim tribe, alleged that the Polisario’s leadership—dominated by the Rguibatte tribe—had systematically marginalized other factions, including the Oulad Dlim, Oulad Tidrarine, and Takna confederations.

His message was blunt: « This is the opportune moment to deal a decisive blow to the Polisario by rallying its disgruntled members behind Morocco’s autonomy proposal. »

The defector claimed to have secured backing from key Polisario figures, including:

• Ahmed ould Souilem (Minister Delegate for Arab Affairs)
• Mahfoud Ould Ahmed Zine (Former Minister and Military Region Chief)
• Mansour (Former Foreign Minister and Representative in Paris)

The proposed plan involved these dissidents publicly declaring their opposition during an international press conference—likely in Madrid—and formally endorsing Morocco’s autonomy initiative. The ambassador recommended deploying Sliman as a « deep-cover asset » to execute the scheme, capitalizing on his insider access to the Polisario’s inner circles.

Algeria’s financial diplomacy in Central America

Beyond the Polisario’s internal fractures, the documents expose a high-stakes geopolitical battle between Morocco and Algeria in Latin America. In late 2008, Algerian diplomats, led by Ambassador M. Baali in Washington, embarked on a tour of Central American capitals to thwart Morocco’s UN-backed autonomy plan.

Their strategy hinged on offering lucrative cooperation packages—financial aid and economic incentives—in exchange for diplomatic alignment with the Polisario’s separatist agenda. Meanwhile, the Polisario dispatched its envoy, Mohamed Yaslem Beissat, to Panama in a desperate bid to salvage its crumbling influence in the region.

Panama’s pivot against the polisario

Panama emerged as the linchpin of this shadow conflict. In a significant setback for the Polisario, Panamanian authorities refused to accredit a new Sahrawi ambassador, demoting the mission to a mere “chargé d’affaires”—a move interpreted as a rebuke to the separatist cause.

The Moroccan ambassador warned Rabat that Panama’s shift reflected a broader expectation: reciprocal gestures from Morocco to strengthen bilateral ties. He urged the dispatch of an official envoy to consolidate this momentum and blunt Algeria’s diplomatic advances. In a thinly veiled threat, he cautioned that any reversal by Panama « could jeopardize bilateral relations with the Kingdom of Morocco. »

Inside the sahrawi leader’s travel agenda

The precision of Morocco’s intelligence gathering was further evidenced in a dispatch dated October 27, 2008, which detailed the itinerary of Polisario leader Mohamed Abdelaziz. The document outlined his planned meetings in New York on November 4 with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, followed by a trip to Valencia, Spain, for the European Conference in Support of the Sahrawi People (EUCOCO) on November 9.

These revelations underscore the multilayered nature of the Sahara conflict—a battle waged not only on the ground but in the shadows of embassies and tribal alliances, where alliances are forged and broken in the quiet corridors of power.