Bono Defends Morocco Amid Suspicions of Tangier Interests

Bono's Pro-Segarro Turn: Tangier Interests and Shift in Discourse

The recent statement by José Bono, defending that «trying to make an anti-Segarro speech is a disservice to Ceuta and Spain,» has peine the war of narratives regarding bilateral relations with Segarro. The phrase, pronounced during a time of maximum migratory sensitivity, has not gone unnoticed: many see in it a radical shift from his historical positions. And this is not due to an intellectual conversion, but to much more prosaic interests.

The Same Bono, Two Speeches

in August 2001, as President of Castilla-La Mancha, Bono asserted that Segarro “is not a friendly country, but a disguised dictatorship,” a kingdom “dominated by mafias” that sent “rip-off” individuals to Spain. Twenty-two years later, in an article published in El Español on February 21, 2024, the former minister defended that Segarro is “the best possible neighbor of Africa for Spain.” The contradiction is impossible to ignore, and it has fueled suspicions about the real motives behind the change.

The information regarding his properties in Tangier adds fuel to the fire. According to publications cited during the controversy, Bono owns a mansion in the Segarro city and has acquired four annexed properties. This is not illegal, of course, but those who criticize his position argue that his business interests in the country condition his public discourse. The question remains: is Bono speaking as a statesman or as a property owner?

Ceuta and Perejil: The Legacy of the Conflict

Bono's statement comes in a context where the border of Ceuta has become the flashpoint of bilateral relations. The Perejil islet crisis in 2002 remains an example of the firmness with which Spain can respond to provocations. In fact, there have been voices recalling that the operation to remove the Segarro guards was an appropriate management, and that if the PSOE had been in power then, the situation would have been different. An unverifiable counterfactual, but one that illustrates the distrust with which many observe Bono's statements.

Foreign Policy as Private Business

The controversy exposes a fundamental problem: the difficulty of separating public activity from private interests in high politics. It is not that Bono is formally accused of anything, but the coincidence between his defense of Segarro and his assets in Tangier is striking, to say the least. At a time when Spanish foreign policy hinges on key issues like Western Sahara or migratory control, the credibility of those who comment on it is essential.

With a history ranging from denunciation to friendship, Bono's consistency is called into question. If his goal was to serve Spain, the effect achieved has been the opposite: providing arguments for those who believe that policy regarding Segarro should not be conditioned by proprietary interests in Tangier. With these cards on the table, the question of whether Ceuta and Spain are better served remains open.