The Portuguese Government”calls for a speedy restoration of normality and constitutional order in Gabon”, taking into account the latest developments and assurances that he is monitoring “the situation in the country” where a military coup is underway.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE), through the Embassy of Portugal in São Tomé and Príncipe, which has Gabon as its area of jurisdiction, is monitoring the situation in the country, having been in contact with some of the national citizens who live in the country. in that territory, announced the government through a communiqué issued by the Palácio das Necessidades.
“Travel to Gabon is discouraged, and residents of the country are also urged to remain vigilant and collect their homes, as read in the advice to travelers on the MNO’s Portal das Comunidades.” added to the statement.
According to the MNE, “About 50 Portuguese are registered at that consular post, and so far no request for assistance has been made in view of the withdrawal from the country”.
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– Foreign Affairs PT (@nestrangeiro_pt) August 30, 2023
Since dawn, Gabon has been facing a military coup that began shortly after the announcement of the results of last Saturday’s elections, the 26th, which saw President Ali Bongo Ondimba remain in power. giving continuity to 55 years of power domination by his family.
A group of military from Gabon today announced on television the cancellation of the presidential elections in which Ali Bongo was re-elected and the dissolution of all democratic institutions.
After taking note of “an irresponsible and unpredictable administration resulting in a continuous deterioration of social cohesion, which risks leading the country into chaos (…) it was decided to defend peace and put an end to the current regime,” said one of the soldiers.
The same army, which claims to speak on behalf of a Committee for Transitional and Institutional Restoration, said all borders in Gabon were “closed until further notice”.
According to AFP journalists, automatic machine gun fire could be heard during the television broadcast in Libreville.
Hours earlier, in the middle of the night, at 3:30 am (same time in Lisbon), the Electoral Center of Gabon (CGE, in its French acronym) had released the official results of the elections on state television without any prior announcement. presidential elections.
The election commission announced that President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who had been in power for 14 years, had won a third term in Saturday’s elections with 64.27% of the votes cast, beating his main rival Albert Ondo Ossa, who had won 30 won 77% of the vote.
The announcement was made at a time when Gabon was under a curfew and internet access was suspended across the country, measures imposed by the government on Saturday, election day.
Source: DN
