International

Mohamed VI of Morocco celebrates 25 years on the throne: reforms and challenges

The reign of King Mohamed VI of Morocco, which celebrates 25 years this Tuesday, has been characterized by political reforms such as the promulgation of a new Constitution and economic reforms with the construction of large infrastructures, but also by development imbalances in the different regions of the country and criticism of the lack of freedom of the press.

The Allawi king came to the throne on July 23, 1999, after the death of Hassan II, with the intention of breaking with his father’s repressive and traditionalist era in terms of human rights, the modernization of the economy and the democratization of the political scene.

From the beginning, the young monarch, who is now 60 years old, paid special attention to women’s rights and in 2003 announced the need for reforms in the area of divorce and polygamy.

A year later, a new Family Code was approved, which granted more rights to women and is now subject to a new review.

In a spirit of breaking with his father’s repressive legacy and shedding light on those known as ‘years of lead’, Mohamed VI created in 2004 the Equity and Reconciliation Instance, which treated more than 17,000 cases of serious human rights violations and compensated the victims.

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Seven years later, in 2011, the monarchy faced democratic demands of the ‘Arab Spring’ protests, after a historical abstention rate in the 2007 legislative elections that exceeded 60%. Mohamed VI announced a revision of the Constitution.

The new Magna Carta, which stipulates parity as a governing principle of public policies, consolidated the position of the Parliament and the Presidency of the Government, although it did not essentially modify the powers of the monarch, who continues to set the country’s guidelines.

During his reign, the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has multiplied by more than three to 129.6 billion euros in 2023, but without reaching the speed of other emerging countries in the region, such as Senegal, whose GDP is almost five times higher.

In the last 25 years, the Human Development Index (HDI), which reflects economic development and analyzes health, education and income, has shown a continuous improvement, but not at the same pace as other countries and Morocco has decreased in the international ranking from 112th place in 1999 to 120th in 2022.

Morocco has undertaken plans to modernize agriculture, until it becomes an export reference to Europe, has consolidated a textile and automotive industry and foresees an energy transformation.

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Infrastructures such as the Tanger Med megaport, the largest in the Mediterranean and Africa, have also been inaugurated, the highway network has been expanded from 400 to 1,400 kilometers and the first high-speed train has been established.

Despite state efforts, Morocco continues to suffer an imbalance between the most developed industrial Atlantic axis, which connects the northern city of Tangier with the southern city of Agadir, and the most impoverished regions of the east and southeast of the country.

The earthquake of 2023 that shook the mountains of southern Marrakech and left almost 3,000 dead revealed a Morocco where there are still isolated villages that live in precariousness.

One of the critical moments of the era of Mohamed VI was the outst of social protests in the northern region of the Rif, which began in October 2016 in the city of Al-Ocemas and lasted until mid-2017.

During the protests, half a thousand people were arrested. Almost all of them have been serving their sentences or have benefited from royal pardons, except for six, including the leader of the revolt Naser Zafzafi, who is serving a 20-year sentence.

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Morocco receives criticism in terms of press freedom. Organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders, as well as the European Parliament, denounce the imprisonment of journalists.

Some convictions that, according to the Moroccan Government, are for crimes of common crime, such as rape, unrelated to his profession as journalists.

International

Mexico Calls for Immediate Probe After National Dies in ICE Custody

Mexico’s Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) on Monday called on U.S. authorities to conduct an “immediate and thorough” investigation into the death of a Mexican national while in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a processing facility in California.

In a statement, the Mexican government described the death as “regrettable” and urged U.S. officials to clarify the circumstances surrounding the case in order to “determine responsibilities and ensure that such events do not happen again.”

Death at Adelanto Processing Center

According to available information, the Mexican citizen died at the Adelanto Processing Center in California while under ICE custody. Authorities have not yet released the individual’s identity or the cause of death.

Following the incident, Mexico’s Foreign Ministry formally requested “detailed information” from U.S. authorities, including the detainee’s medical records and custody reports.

Consular Assistance Activated

The Mexican Consulate in San Bernardino, California, has activated consular assistance protocols to provide ongoing support to the deceased’s family. Officials have contacted relatives to express condolences and offer legal guidance, as well as assistance with the necessary procedures to repatriate the remains.

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“The handling of situations like this and the establishment of mechanisms to resolve them are priorities for the Government of Mexico,” the Foreign Ministry said, adding that it will formally request an investigation into any systemic conditions that may have contributed to such incidents.

Local Mexican media reported that seven Mexican nationals died while in ICE detention last year — the highest number recorded since the agency was created.

International

Anti-ICE Billboard Campaign Targets Immigration Spending in 31 U.S. Cities

More than 200 billboards criticizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began appearing Monday in 31 cities across the United States, including Miami, as part of a campaign highlighting the high cost of immigration enforcement operations for taxpayers.

The initiative, titled “ICE Costs Us,” was launched by the civil rights organization Mijente and will run for four weeks.

Criticism of Spending and Enforcement Tactics

The billboards feature images of ICE agents during arrests or carrying military-style weapons. According to the organization, spending on military-grade equipment for the agency has increased by 600 percent in recent years.

Several signs display messages such as:
“Your taxes are being wasted” and “ICE’s cruelty costs you $28 billion,” referring to the agency’s annual budget.

In a statement, Marisa Franco, co-founder of the Mijente Support Committee, said:
“For too long, our government has prioritized building cages and investing billions in an immigration enforcement apparatus that has left families torn apart and communities terrified.”

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She added that “Millions of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, yet this violent agency continues operating with a blank check. These decisions do not make us safer nor improve our economic security. Our billboards highlight these choices and demand a different path.”

Budget Debate and Medicaid Comparison

The campaign also draws a comparison between ICE’s funding and the estimated 17 million people who could lose health coverage under Medicaid due to federal budget cuts under President Donald Trump.

Other billboard messages seen in various cities include:
“They get billions to beat us; we get layoffs and rising rents” and “Funding ICE is a fast track to fascism.”

Organizers say the goal is to spark public debate about the allocation of federal funds for immigration enforcement and the broader economic and social impact of such policies on communities nationwide.

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International

Trump Warns of ‘Major Wave’ of Attacks as Iran Conflict Escalates

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday praised the success of his military campaign against Iran and warned that the “major wave” of attacks has not yet been launched, suggesting it could come “very soon.”

In a phone interview with CNN, Trump said U.S. Armed Forces are “pounding” Iranian targets and described the operation as going “very well.”

“We have the best military in the world and we’re using it. (…) We haven’t even started hitting them hard yet. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon,” he warned.

Operation “Epic Fury”

The United States launched Operation “Epic Fury” on Saturday in coordination with Israel. The initial strikes reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with much of the country’s top military leadership.

Tehran has vowed to avenge Khamenei’s death and has responded with missile attacks against Israel and several Arab countries hosting U.S. military bases, including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

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Trump told CNN that the “biggest surprise” of the campaign was Iran’s decision to strike Gulf nations with an American military presence. He said those countries now “want to fight,” despite U.S. assurances that Washington has the situation under control.

“They’re fighting aggressively. They were going to have very little involvement, and now they insist on participating,” he added.

Possible U.S. Casualties

Trump, who campaigned in 2024 on a promise to keep the United States out of prolonged foreign wars, acknowledged that additional American casualties could occur. So far, four U.S. service members have reportedly been killed.

“I always thought it would last four weeks. And we’re a little ahead of schedule,” he said.

When asked whether his administration is helping the Iranian people regain control of their country and pursue regime change, Trump responded, “Yes.”