The President of the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe on Sunday requested an investigation to clarify the attack on Friday, considering that it was “an attempted coup” by those who do not accept the electoral results.
“The scope of the event is not fully known. I call on all institutions to carry out the investigation, to carry out the necessary inquiries so that justice is done, so that all the reasons and mutations of the fact are found. because there is no doubt – what I know today and have information [é que] it was clearly an attempted coup against the institutions and their leaders”, said Carlos Vila Nova.
The statements by the head of state came after the meeting of the Higher National Defense Council of Sao Tome and Principe, which was called urgently to analyze the events that occurred on November 25, when four men, civilians, attacked the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the country.
In the statement, initially published on the Government website and only later on the Presidency website, Carlos Vila Nova stressed that the coup did not take place “for reasons that are not yet known”, so it is necessary “to go to the depth of topics” and “know all the details.
The President of the Republic of São Tomé affirmed that this case has already been handed over to justice, being investigated by the Judicial Police and the Public Ministry, within the framework of the separation of powers.
“I only hope that it never happens again in the country, as I also hope that the motivations, acts and reasons for such practices by people who cannot accept not being elected, being elected and respecting what is the popular manifestation are known. through the vote,” he explained.
The head of state spoke out “against any attempt to usurp power constitutionally established by force, with the use of weapons, in the face of attacks by a military institution that defends democratically elected institutions” and “democratically elected bodies.”
“Given the events that occurred since the early morning of the 25th, in which there was a clear attempt to subvert the constitutional order with the invasion of the Morro barracks by people outside the unit, the country experienced moments of tension and some apprehension. ”, He stressed, lamenting the loss of human life.
The head of state of Sao Tome expressed “a feeling of sorrow for the bereaved families” and congratulated “the firmness and prompt response of the Armed Forces to this orchestrated and “well-prepared” act.
“Nobody intends to invade a military barracks to get candy or other material out of there, it was appropriating war material with the complicity of many elements within the forces, which made the operation more difficult and complicated,” he said.
Carlos Vila Nova also congratulated the authorities “for knowing how to react” and defend the nation and the democratically elected institutions.
In the early hours of Friday, four men attacked the Armed Forces headquarters, in the capital of São Tomé, in an assault that lasted for almost six hours, with intense exchanges of shots and explosions, in which they took the officer hostage on duty, seriously injured by assaults.
The attack was neutralized at 06:00 local time (same Lisbon time) on Friday, with the arrest of the four assailants and some soldiers suspected of being involved in the action. The former president of the National Assembly Delfim Neves (who ended his term earlier this month) and Arlécio Costa, a former officer of the ‘Buffalo Battalion’ convicted in 2009 for attempted coup d’état, were also detained by the military. .by the attackers as principals.
Of the four attackers, three died, as well as the suspect Arlécio Costa.
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Santo Tomé, Olindo Paquete, said that the three attackers at the barracks died after an explosion and that Arlécio Costa died because he “jumped out of the vehicle”, but guaranteed that the alleged attacks against the detainees would be investigated.
Source: TSF
