The President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, granted this Monday the Francisco de Miranda order in its first class to the ambassador of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Mohamed Salem Daha Lehbib, who completed his diplomatic duties in the country.
The diplomat was received with honors at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, where he highlighted the brotherhood and support of Venezuela in the fight of the Saharawi Arab Republic against the Spanish and Moroccan occupation.
In his speech, President Maduro thanked Salem Daha for his service as ambassador "during these difficult and complex years of fighting for peace and dignity in Venezuela."
"I would like to thank you for your continued presence, your solidarity, understanding, friendship, and brotherhood. The cause of the Sahrawi Arab Republic, of the Arab people of the desert, is a historic cause," the head of state stated.
He stressed that the first time he heard of the Polisario Front - the liberation movement against the Moroccan occupation - was between 1975 and 1976, when he denounced it Jorge Rodriguez Sr., who on Monday celebrated the 46th anniversary of being assassinated by security forces of the government of former President Carlos Andrés Pérez.
"The first person I ever heard speak about the cause of the Sahrawi people was Jorge Rodríguez Sr., who today, July 25th, coincidentally, marks 46 years since he passed into immortal life, having been murdered, on a day like today, in the dungeons of the torture centers that operated during the Fourth Republic. They murdered the most prominent young man of an entire generation of revolutionaries," he asserted.
He indicated that it was then a time of liberation and struggle for Africa and the Caribbean, giving way to a process of decolonization that led to the "foundation of a good part of what are today our great friends in the world, in Africa, in Asia, in the Caribbean."
He stressed that in June, when he visited Algeria and met with his counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune, at least an hour of the meeting was devoted to "reviewing the history of the Sahrawi Arab people," Spain's decolonization process, and "Morocco's abhorrent abuses."
"And also reviewing our support, which we bring to North Africa, and which I expressed loudly at the press conference with President Tebboune, when ratifying the full support of the people of Venezuela (...) to the government of the Sahrawi Arab Republic and above all to the warrior Sahrawi people who are fighting for their independence, for their territory, for peace and dignity," he stated.
He indicated that sooner rather than later, "we will see the cause of independence of the Sahrawi Arab people victorious."
He asked the diplomat to convey to the president of his country an invitation to Venezuelan soil to "receive him with honors" and, from Caracas, to once again "raise the flags of solidarity and unrestricted support for the cause of the Sahrawi Arab people."
"I will defend Venezuela wherever I am."
Ambassador Salem Daha Lehbib said it was a tremendous honor to have worked in Venezuela for nine years and to have "the opportunity to learn from this process."
"I experienced the beautiful hospitality of a generous, supportive, and rebellious people in the face of injustice... a people I will defend and carry in my heart and soul wherever I go," he said.
He indicated that there is a network of Sahrawi wrestling enthusiasts in Venezuela, with whom he indicated he will continue to maintain contact in the future, and that they have "the support of the Bolivarian government."
He denounced the fact that the Sahrawi people have been fighting against the Spanish empire and the Moroccan occupation for 50 years, supported by "the most aggressive powers in the world" and subjecting the population to violence and poverty.
"In this way, we are trying to subdue a people who decided to be free and sovereign, a people capable of giving everything for one thing: their dignity," he emphasized.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as an independent State on August 3, 1980, and on December 8, 1982, both countries established diplomatic relations.
