Equatorial Guinea on Sunday accused Spain, France and the United States of “interference” in its presidential and legislative elections scheduled for November 20.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled his country with an iron fist for 43 years, launched his bid for a sixth term this week in a first campaign event.
Equatorial Guinea, a former Spanish colony, reproached the three countries after their diplomats attended a campaign event this week by one of the two opposition movements authorised to present candidates in the polls.
The foreign ministry described it as “interference in the country’s internal affairs” in a statement.
Obiang’s dominant Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) holds 99 of the 100 seats in the outgoing lower house of parliament and all the senate seats. It was the country’s single legal political movement until 1991, when multi-party politics were introduced.
Running against Obiang are Andres Esono Ondo of the Convergence for Social Democracy party (CPDS) and Buenaventura MonsuyAsumu, who represents the Party of the Democratic Social Coalition.
Credit: rfi
