Spain secretly pressured the US Congress for joint sovereignty over Gibraltar

A Spanish letter in 2015 expressed “deep regret” for the resolution and claimed that Gibraltar was a “colony” that did not have “the right to self-determination”, according to a copy seen by The Telegraph and reported on by others.

The paper said that shortly after the Brexit vote, the then Spanish ambassador pushed for a pan for Britain to share sovereignty of Gibraltar with Spain.

Spanish officials were said to have been ‘belligerent’ about it.

The Spanish drive lasted from at least 2014 to last year.

‘VERY AGGRESSIVE SPANISH’

Congressman George Holding said in a meeting with the Spanish ambassador Gil-Casares, the Spanish ambassador in his congressional office said that the then ambassador was “very categorical” and “very aggressive” in making his case on Gibraltar.

He said he later attended a dinner with Santiago Cabanas, the current Spanish ambassador, and was pressured again on the issue, but in a less confrontational way.

Mr Holding said of the interactions: “They don’t want Gibraltar to get any help or recognition from the United States, which would thwart Spain’s attempt to take back Gibraltar, especially during these negotiations on Brexit. “

He added: “I thought they were crossing the line by telling lies about Gibraltar. I thought it was incredibly over the line.”

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04-08-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR