Documents recently declassified by the CIA (American Central Intelligence Agency) shed new light on the events of the 1975 Green March, suggesting that the entry of the Moroccans into Western Sahara was not a unilateral action, but the result of a secret agreement between King Hassan II and Juan Carlos , then Crown Prince and acting Spanish head of state.

The Context of the Declassifications

1. The declassification of more than 930,000 secret documents by the CIA, just before the expiration of President Barack Obama's term, brought these revelations to light.
2. One document in particular, concerning negotiations between Prince Juan Carlos (head of the armed forces and acting head of state) and King Hassan II regarding the future of Western Sahara, has generated considerable interest, especially in the Spanish media.

The Morocco-Spain Compromise

The article points out that a compromise had been reached between Rabat and Madrid even before the launch of the Green March on November 6, 1975.

1. Testimony of Juan Carlos: The Crown Prince revealed the terms of the agreement to the American ambassador, Wells Stabler:
2. The 350,000 Moroccan marchers would be allowed to penetrate a few miles into the Spanish Sahara and to remain there temporarily, specifically in areas without Spanish troops .
3. A symbolic delegation of about fifty Moroccans would be allowed to enter Laayoune, the capital of Western Sahara.
4. Spanish rules of engagement: The areas off-limits to the March were designated as "minefields". Spanish soldiers had been ordered to "use all means at their disposal to prevent the Moroccans from crossing these lines", without, however, explicitly mentioning the use of force.

Troop Withdrawal and Military Pressure

1. As early as the end of October 1975, a strategic withdrawal of Spanish troops had already taken place in key areas (Mahbès, Jdiriya and Haoussa).
2. This withdrawal has triggered a race to occupy between the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, creating a pre-war context.
3. It was in this tense atmosphere that King Hassan II publicly threatened to retaliate with arms against any aggression against the participants of the Green March.

The Official Conclusion

The compromise reached in secret found its formal realization a few days later with the signing of the Madrid Accords on November 14, 1975 , which formalized the division of the territory of Western Sahara between Morocco and Mauritania and the disengagement of Spain.