The heir to the throne, Mohamed Bin Salmán, consolidates his power with a new purge.
Two prominent princes and at least one other member of the Saudi royal family have been arrested and charged with high treason, two US newspapers report Saturday. The measure, on which the Royal Court remains silent, supposes a new reinforcement of the power of the heir and de facto ruler, Prince Mohamed Bin Salman (known as MBS). Some commentators relate it to a possible deterioration of the health of King Salman, 84, that the detainees would see as the last brake on an eventual palace coup.
Prince Ahmed Bin Abdelaziz, younger brother of the monarch, and Prince Mohamed Bin Nayef, nephew of both, have been confined to their homes after being accused of high treason, says The Wall Street Journal without revealing the identity of their sources. The Reuters agency has also obtained the same information by its own means. That claim opens the door to life imprisonment and even the death penalty. Both men, potential candidates for the throne, are accused of having "fostered a coup with the goal of overthrowing the king and the crown prince," according to the newspaper. The New York Times, meanwhile, adds to the detainees the younger brother of MBN, Nawaf, who was with him camped in the desert.
Mohamed Bin Nayef (MBN), 60, was the heir to the throne until 2017 when he was unexpectedly replaced by his cousin MBS , 34, in what some observers interpreted as a power struggle between the branches of the royal family. Since then he had restricted movements.
Septuagenarian Ahmed, whose position in the line of succession jumped in 2015 when he was appointed heir to MBN and vice-heir to MBS , drew attention when during a stay in London in 2018 he made statements in which he gave the impression of criticizing the war in Yemen initiated by MBS. However, his return to the kingdom shortly after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was interpreted as a closing of ranks with the monarchy.
Following this case, which aroused international outrage, the possibility arose that the royal family contemplated a change in succession to save their image. There was no such. Aided undoubtedly by the warm reaction of the United States, MBS has moved forward without major consequences and has even achieved the presidency of the G20 this year. The king was never going to accept the relay of his favorite son. Hence some analysts wonder if there has been a deterioration in the health of the monarch that the critics of the heir have tried to take advantage of.
The arrests, which in social networks have already been baptized as Game of Thrones 2020 season , constitute a new step in the absolute control of power by the de facto ruler of the world's first oil exporter. Since his surprising appointment as heir when he had not yet turned 31, MBS has consolidated his position by eliminating any competition from other branches of the royal family and taking control of all key ministries and institutions.
Shortly after removing his MBN cousin, veteran Interior Minister and man with good relations with the United States, the Saudi heir also proceeded to purge princes and magnates under the pretext of an anti-corruption campaign . In addition, while liberalizing the economy and social restrictions, he has imprisoned human rights activists and clergy, limiting public debate.
https://elpais.com/internacional/2020-03-07/dos-destacados-principes-saudies-detenidos-y-acusados-de-traicion.html
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