hree days after the inauguration of Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia’s foreign ministry announced, on August 10, the freezing of Bogota’s relations with “the entity known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic”.
The text speaks of a “sovereign review” of the recognition granted by the previous government. There will be “no political or diplomatic contacts, no exchange of missions, no support for the SADR in multilateral fora”, the United Nations included.
Colombia had recognized the SADR on February 27, 1985. The same communique restates that Colombia “recognises the sovereignty of Morocco over its entire territory, including Western Sahara”.
Bogota is freezing relations, not formally withdrawing a recognition. For Rabat, that distinction will matter less than the trajectory of a Latin American continent which was long the diplomatic bedrock of the Polisario.
Photo: EFE.
Cancilleria de Colombia — Colombia congela relaciones diplomáticas con la entidad denominada como “República Árabe Saharaui Democrática”, 10 August 2026.
EFE — El nuevo gobierno de Colombia reconoce soberania de Marruecos sobre el Sahara Occidental, 7 August 2026.
