John Bolton Slams Morocco for Blocking Sahrawi Referendum: “It’s Time to End the Absurdity”

✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

The former U.S. National Security Advisor denounces Rabat’s obstructionism, reiterates the legitimacy of the Sahrawi cause, and calls out international hypocrisy 35 years after UN Resolution 690.

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Algiers, Algeria | July 6th, 2025 — In a forceful and unambiguous statement that echoes decades of suppressed truth, former U.S. National Security Advisor and diplomat John Bolton has once again affirmed that the only viable and lawful solution to the Western Sahara conflict lies in the long-promised—yet perpetually stalled—referendum on self-determination. Speaking to the Spanish daily El Independiente, Bolton did not mince words: “I still believe that the only way to resolve this issue is by organizing a referendum.”

The diplomat, who has served under multiple U.S. administrations, openly criticized Morocco for obstructing the UN-led peace process and reneging on its commitments dating back to 1991. “The Sahrawi people, still stranded in refugee camps, deserve to go home,” Bolton emphasized, underscoring the enduring injustice faced by tens of thousands of displaced Sahrawis.

“It’s truly shameful,” he continued. “The UN passed a simple resolution—everyone agreed to it—and now, 35 years later, nothing has been implemented. That’s a damning indictment of the UN’s impotence.”

Bolton’s comments refer to UN Security Council Resolution 690, adopted in 1991, which established the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Since then, the Moroccan regime has systematically sabotaged every attempt to implement the referendum—afraid, as Bolton bluntly stated, “to risk losing it.”

Recalling conversations with former UN envoys, including James Baker, Bolton said, “They all told me the same thing privately: Morocco simply does not want to take the risk. They’re terrified of the outcome.”

As part of its efforts to manipulate demographics in the occupied territory, Morocco orchestrated several so-called “Green Marches” to settle Moroccan citizens in Western Sahara—a ploy intended to skew any future vote. Still, as Bolton noted, “Rabat has yet to find a formula that guarantees a referendum victory, which is why it prefers endless stalemate.”

But Bolton did not stop there. He delved into Morocco’s expansionist ambitions and its controversial normalization with the Zionist entity—a deal brokered under the Trump administration in exchange for U.S. recognition of Morocco’s claimed sovereignty over Western Sahara. According to Bolton, the normalization was merely a formalization of pre-existing covert ties. “Morocco was already close to recognizing Israel. They would have done it anyway, even without any quid pro quo.”

On Spain’s sudden and controversial shift in position—backing Morocco’s autonomy proposal—Bolton was equally scathing. “The Spanish government’s current stance is utterly unhelpful. Everyone initially committed to a referendum, and now Rabat has backtracked. The only ones paying the price are the Sahrawis still languishing in refugee camps. It’s beyond absurd.”

Finally, Bolton categorically rejected Morocco’s propaganda campaigns accusing the Polisario Front of links to terrorism. “That’s entirely false,” he stated. “These accusations are fabricated, baseless, and built on lies.”

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