Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang to run for 6th term president despite violations of human rights
According to AFP, the vice president announced Friday that President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has steered Equatorial Guinea with an iron grip for more than 43 years, will run for reelection in November.
The longest-serving head of state in the world, aside from monarchs, is Obiang, who is 80. It is unclear whether he will run for office again or whether his son will take over.
Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, also known as “Teodorin,” his son, made the declaration.
“Because of his charisma, his leadership, and his political experience”, According to twitter publish, Obiang Mangue, the ruling party unanimously decided to support Obiang as its candidate in the election scheduled for November 20.
The Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) currently controls all 70 seats in the senate as well as 99 of the 100 seats in the lower house of the outgoing parliament.
However, it was unclear who the party would choose as its nominee for president. There is currently only one declared candidate.
In a coup that resulted in the killing of his feared, cruel uncle and predecessor Francisco Macias Nguema in 1979, Obiang took control of the country.
Prior to the introduction of multi-party politics in 1991, the PDGE was the only recognized political party in the nation.
However, Obiang has never been formally elected again with less than 93 percent of the vote.
He may now be guaranteed a further seven years in office.
Teodorin appeared to be prepared to run for office last year. But ultimately, and to everyone’s amazement, he was not selected as a candidate in November.
Observers and diplomats suggested that Teodorin and some regime elites were engaged in a power struggle because they opposed the president’s son assuming the presidency.
Teodorin was given a three-year suspended prison sentence in France as well as a fine of 30 million euros for acquiring expensive items and homes through deception.
The tiny, oil-rich nation declared on Tuesday that it would move the presidential election up by five months.
Additionally, it stated that the survey will coincide with legislative elections.
In a period of economic difficulty brought on by the conflict in Ukraine and the pandemic, it was argued that holding the two expensive votes together was important.
According to a new law that the president has signed, the death penalty has been abolished in the nation—one of the most totalitarian in the world—state television reported on Monday.
International rights organizations frequently accuse the government of the former Spanish colony of violating human rights.
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