Colombia is set to take its seat as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on January 1, 2026, an entry closely watched by the Polisario Front, which views Bogotá as a potential ally following Algeria's departure at the end of its mandate on December 31. Colombian President Gustavo Petro remains one of the few Latin American leaders openly supportive of the Polisario. He recently reiterated this position during a meeting with Mohamed Zrug, the Polisario's representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. «For decades, I have supported the Sahrawi struggle for national independence. The UN endorsed a referendum allowing the Sahrawi people to decide on independence, a process currently blocked by the Kingdom of Morocco», Petro wrote on social media. He added that «the Sahrawi community is the only Spanish-speaking Arab community» and noted that they had invited him to visit the Sahara last February. Since taking office in August 2022, Petro has restored recognition of the so-called «Sahrawi Republic» and has been particularly critical of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's endorsement of the Moroccan autonomy plan in March 2022. However, Colombia's presidential elections, scheduled for next summer, could shift the country's position on the Sahara issue. Anticipating this possibility, Moroccan diplomacy has already intensified outreach to influential figures within the Colombian right. With ten months left before the vote, the latest polls show Petro with 44% favorable opinions and 55% unfavorable, suggesting a potentially competitive electoral landscape ahead.
