• Dynasties - Bahrain's hectic and divided royal family
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The adventures of Juan Carlos I by the Persian Gulf have put in the spotlight another Arab monarchy, the one that for two decades has led Hamad bin Isa bin Salman al Jalifa (70). The King of Bahrain has never hidden the close friendship that binds him to the former sovereign. Felipe VI's father has traveled to the country up to six times since in 2011, in the heat of the Arab Spring, peaceful revolts broke out demanding the democratization of the kingdom and an end to discrimination against a majority Shiite population subjugated by the Khalifa, a Sunni family that, through a crackdown, has managed to drown out the cries for change. The friendship forged by the Bahraini and Spanish monarchies is now one of the cornerstones of the judicial investigation in Switzerland. At the beginning of this year,The Telegraph revealed that in 2008 Juan Carlos created an opaque foundation in Panama called Lucum whose Swiss bank account received the alleged donation of 65 million euros from the then Saudi King Abdelaziz al Saud. Two years later, that same account saw his balance grow fat with 1.7 million euros allegedly given away by the Bahraini monarch in recognition of the position of Juan Carlos I on the Arabian peninsula.

"It is a shocking revelation. These practices should not be standardized," Maryam al Jawaja, the daughter of a Bahraini human rights activist serving life in prison for her participation in the peaceful protests that erupted nine years ago in Manama, replies to LOC. , the capital of the kingdom. "Rich and corrupt Persian Gulf dictators have found ways to influence Western rulers through bribery under the guise of gifts. It is not unique to Spain. The Bahraini royal family often exchanges influence with other royal families such as the British ", details Maryam. "It is important to keep two things in mind: first, the wealth they use to buy that influence belongs to the populations they steal from and who suffer from poverty and unemployment; and, second, European countries like to promote themselves as promoters of but they continue to do business with the same countries that commit these violations, "one of the main faces that keeps the answer to the Al Khalifa clan alive.

Since 2011, the actual attempt to eliminate any dissent has been brutal. The repression was followed by the persecution of the political opposition , the imprisonment or exile of hundreds of activists, and an increase in capital punishment as a political weapon. In mid-July, two Bahrainis, members of the majority Shiite, were sentenced to death for the fifth time for their alleged involvement in the attack on a police officer whose confession was extracted by torture.

Don Juan Carlos, in Bahrain with the Crown Prince Royal House

The periodical journeys of Juan Carlos I, before and after his abdication, were framed in this context of repression. The King Father led official delegations with ministers and businessmen, or was a personal guest of Hamad at events such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, whose celebration in Bahrain has been shrouded in controversy for years. In 2016, on the occasion of his attendance at the competition, the Bahrain state news agency reported this complicit friendship: "His majesty applauds Juan Carlos's efforts to boost relations between both countries and promote bilateral cooperation to all levels. "

The ex-monarch's dark relationship with one of the most ruthless Arab regimes has reached the Congress of Deputies. In May, Joan Baldoví, Compromís spokesperson, asked the Government for its position regarding human rights violations in the country as well as for the ties of both monarchies. "The replies were brief and did not even respond to what was asked of them," Gabriela Zavaley, a member of the Spanish branch of Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain, says in this supplement. Spain has also become a key part of the Bahrain royal family's strategy to whiten its reputation after acquiring the Córdoba Club de Fútbol a few months ago. "There is a close relationship between the two monarchies, which has become even closer with the purchase of Córdoba. We do not know if this is the reason why Spain remains silent in the face of abuse," adds Alejandro del Castillo, a Spanish activist from the aforementioned organization.

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