The regime is now evoking the “black decade” when the army intervened to foil a democratic process instigating infighting with Islamist groups that left 200,000 people dead. The Algerian regime knows the pro-democracy Hirak movement is lingering and it only needs a social spark to resume putting at risk the army-dominated status-quo. The media was muzzled as the regime put behind bars any journalist who derailed from the official narrative. As the regime runs out of conspiracy theories, so does its gas mantra. Despite the newfound revenue from hydrocarbons, the country fails to diversify its economy and imposes import restrictions to keep foreign reserves for upcoming tough days.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 04, 2023 12:04 UTC