Green March
According to Virginia Bouvier and Mieczyslaw Boduszynski (2008), Spain's colonization of Western Sahara was driven by a desire to secure its interests in North Africa. They argue that Spain saw this region as a strategic position because of its closeness to important trade routes and its access to the Atlantic Ocean. According to Lisa Shelley, Spain legitimized its rule over the region by promoting the idea that it was bringing "civilization" to the Sahrawi people, through the "evangelizing" task of a Catholic nation.