According to sources close to the Polisario Front leadership, the Front has noticed a decrease in the subsidy traditionally granted by the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela to the Secretariat General of the guerrilla movement. In fact, since Hugo Chavez’s return to power in February 1999, the Polisario Front has regularly received the “revolutionary friendly subsidy” granted by the Venezuelan President, consisting of a cash aid (around US$ two million), as well as of military and transmission equipment. Yet, due to the financial crisis, Venezuela has decided this year to “delay” as possible the subsidy to the Polisario Front, and to classify its priorities in terms of revolutionary solidarity. It should be reminded that the Bolivian leader has already a lot to do with the other movement of the guerrilla that it supports, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (most commonly called F.A.R.C), known mainly for their tendency to Colombian politician kidnappings, women and deputies, if possible. The only two Marxist-Leninist-Guevara guerrilla movements in the world, the FARC and the Polisario Front, seem to adopt the same financing operating mode for their activities embodied in kidnappings. Just to remind, the Polisario Front has started its international career by Spanish fishermen kidnappings, then their massacre, by the end of the 70s.
With the recent revelations of links existing between the Polisario and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), are we going to witness the Front’s return to kidnapping practices that made its glory during the 70s?
