He was born in a Saharan refugee camp and first set foot in Europe in 1994, at seven years old. Mariola Benyeres, a municipality in the interior of Alicante, became part of his story through Peace Summers programs that remain in effect today. Since that time, his family has spent every summer with him, and when he entered high school, he moved to Spain to pursue his studies.
During the founding session of the Cortes Generales last Thursday, he lived a distinctive arc: a deputy on the opening day and, by the final day, a relatively unknown figure who nonetheless became the center of a familiar anecdote. All members of parliament except him were appointed before the Congress began voting to elect its president.
An error in the minutes was immediately corrected, which placed him in a challenging position in the public eye. The record even listed him as a member of Más Madrid, a misallocation that drew media attention. Moreover, he stands as the first Sahrawi MP in Congress and has become a leading voice in advocating for the decolonization of Western Sahara, carrying the flag and wearing the shirt that marked his debut in the Lower House.
He studied computer engineering at the Polytechnic University of Alicante and has spent much of his life in Sidi while occasionally traveling to Madrid to pursue further education. He maintains strong ties with the community, and his foster family continues to reside in Benyeres de Mariola. In recent years, his biological parents have moved to Valencia. He also does not miss opportunities to speak Valencian in the capital, using his mother tongue within the foster family and when encountering Catalan, Balearic, or Valencian speakers.
Identity crisis
His memories of leaving the refugee camp are largely filled with moments of happiness—signs of excitement and discovery. Yet stepping into a leadership role proved difficult and demanding. He has openly described an identity crisis during adolescence, a turning point shaped by political debates about the treatment of Sahrawis in Spain. That period inspired him to consider renouncing his origins and redefining his path.
Today, after a lengthy journey, he finds himself seated in the legislature and defends the Saharan cause with a feminist perspective, aiming for an Africa with a hopeful future. His resolve has become part of his public stance and personal mission.
His early days in Alicante were not easy, largely due to the language barrier. He expresses gratitude for the empathy shown by teachers and classmates at the subsidized institute where he studied from age twelve to eighteen. He recalls learning Valencian before Spanish because Benyeres de Mariola is a predominantly Valencian-speaking town. He absorbed what he heard in classrooms, at the pool, and at home like a sponge, which shaped his decision to continue his studies at a university in Valencia.
Saharawi, Alicante and Madrid
In learning Spanish, his earliest words were pragmatic—and stark: crisis and cuts were present whenever he first began to speak. He settled permanently in Spain in 2007, during a decade marked by economic challenges. Still, he returns to refugee camps during summers to visit his biological family.
The toughest years followed him into college, when independence and precarious work presented constant challenges. Although he grew fond of Alicante and anticipated returning someday, the scarcity of opportunities for youth of his generation pushed him toward Madrid. Many peers chose to migrate abroad, yet the legal situation at the time made leaving the country too risky for some to attempt.
He is listed third on the Madrid list led by Yolanda Díaz, reflecting his Saharawi identity across Alicante and Madrid, in that order. He applauds the new president Francina Armengol for endorsing the use of co-official languages in Congress, noting that this step should have happened since Spain’s democratic transition. He believes multilingualism is a strength for the country and emphasizes its beauty. In his words, the deputy reflects a commitment to a multilingual Spain that respects cultural diversity, including Valencian, Catalan, and other regional languages, as an integral part of national life.