Among them is the Canary Islands, a Spanish territory about 100 kilometers off the North African coast. It wasn’t until the founding of the left-wing second republic in Spain in the 1930s that the degree of autonomy was once again restored in the Canary Islands. Nevertheless, after General Francisco Franco toppled the second republic in 1939, he tightened his grip on the Canary Islands. Strategically speaking, Madrid has every reason to hold on to the Canary Islands because of its unique geopolitical value. Back in the “Age of Discovery”, the Canary Islands was already an important transit point for Spanish explorers, missionaries and merchants who were headed for the American continent.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 04, 2018 09:33 UTC