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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang

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Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is Africa’s longest-serving leader, having been in power since the 1979 coup that overthrew his uncle, former President Francisco Macías Nguema. Though Macías was internationally recognized as a ruthless dictator who oppressed, tortured, and committed mass atrocities against his own people, the three-decade long rule of Obiang has not been seen as a progressive change for Equatorial Guinea. Despite mass oil wealth, the majority of the country’s residents live on less that $2 per day, and corruption and repressive tactics are commonplace in Obiang’s government. Read on for an inside look at Equatorial Guinea’s leader, President Obiang.

Sources: Presidencia-GE.net, BBC.com, “Der Spiegel,” The Ottawa Citizen, Poisoned Wells: The Dirty Politics of African Oil, NewInt.org, AfricanDiasporaTourism.com, Transparency.org, The Guardian, Forbes.com, Web.Archive.org, HRW.org

TheFasterTimes.com
TheFasterTimes.com

In 1958, he was baptized in the Catholic faith

Obiang entered the “Cardenal Cisneros” School of Ebebiyin in 1958, at which time he was baptized in the Cathlic faith. At the same time, he also enrolled in La Salle Center of Bata, where he received his degree in Labor Administration.

Telegraph.co.uk
Telegraph.co.uk

Obiang’s military career was advanced by his uncle’s leadership

During Equatorial Guinea’s colonial period, Obiang joined the military and attended the Military Academy in Zaragoza, Spain. After his uncle, President Macîas, came to power, Obiang advanced to the rank of lieutenant. During Macías’s rule, Obiang served various other positions, including governor of Bioko, leader of the National Guard, and head of the infamous Black Beach Prison, notorious for its severe torture and mistreatment of inmates.

Commons.Wikimedia.org
Commons.Wikimedia.org

It was after Macîas ordered the killing of several members of his own family that Obiang helped to lead the coup that overthrew him

In 1979, Macías ordered the murder of several members of his own family, including Obiang’s brother. Obiang, along with other members of the president’s inner circle, began to fear that he had gone insane, and overthrew him in a bloody coup d’état on August 3, 1979. Macîas was placed on trial for atrocities committed at his command, including the genocide of the Bubi people, and was sentenced to death by firing squad on September 29, 1979.

Independent.co.uk
Independent.co.uk

In 2004, Obiang announced that his administration had uncovered an international plot to overthrow him

In March 2004, Obiang announced that there was a coup plot that involved members of the American, British, and Spanish intelligence services. Fifteen people were arrested in Equatorial Guinea with regard to this plot, and soon after, an airplane was detained in Zimbabwe that allegedly had mercenaries heading for Malabo to topple Obiang. Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was implicated in helping to fund the plot, which soon became known as the Dogs of War coup. Thatcher was later put on trial and sentenced to a four-year suspended jail sentence and fined in South Africa for violating the country’s “Foreign Military Assistance Act,” which bans South African residents from taking part in any foreign military activity.

Source: The Guardian

DefenceWeb.co.za
DefenceWeb.co.za

Obiang’s son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, is currently under investigation for embezzling money from Equatorial Guinea

In 2011, U.S. authorities filed to seize over $71 million of Obiang’s son’s assets, alleging that they were corruptly taken out of his country. The assets in question included a $30 million beachfront home in Malibu, California, a $38.5 million Gulfstream jet, a $500,000 Ferrari, and $2 million worth of Michael Jackson memorabilia. The investigation questions whether the son obtained the funds through corrupt schemes in which companies were forced to pay “taxes” and other fees to him directly, as well as donations to pet projects that he then re-appropriated for his personal use.

Source: BBC.com

IBTimes.co.uk
IBTimes.co.uk

Obiang has made comments likening himself to a God

In July 2003, a state-operated radio station made several inflammatory comments, calling Obiang the “country’s God,” and claiming that he had “all power over men and things.” It went on to say Obian was “in permanent contact with the Almighty” and “can decide to kill without anyone calling him to account and without going to hell.” Obiang himself made comments similar to this back in 1993, and also refers to himself as “El Jefe” (the boss), and the “Gentleman of the great island of Bioko, Annobón and Río Muni.”

Source: BBC

Independent.co.uk
Independent.co.uk

Obiang’s wife, First Lady Constancia Mangue Nsue de Obiang, was named “Mother Africa” in 2013

In December 2013, Constancia Mangue Nsue de Obiang was named “Mother Africa” by South African Arts International during Equatorial Guinea’s 45th anniversary celebration of their independence from Spain. The honor, previously bestowed upon the likes of Winnie Mandela, recognizes the First Lady’s commitment to women’s and children’s rights in her country. She was also awarded the Millennium Development Goals 2013 Women’s Progress Award in New York.

Source: AfricanDiasporaTourism.com

NewsTimeAfrica.com
NewsTimeAfrica.com

His opponents have accused Obiang of cannibalism in the past

Though there is no evidence to back it up, some of Obiang’s opponents have accused him of cannibalism in the past, alleging that he skins enemies alive and eats their testicles and livers. They claim he does this to “gain power,” but again, no proof has been shown to back up this unsettling claim.

Source: DailyMail.co.uk

Forbes.com
Forbes.com

It is rumored that Obiang is suffering from terminal prostate cancer

Some news outlets reported back in 2006 that Obiang suffers from prostate cancer and was given a terminal diagnosis. Many speculated whether or not this was true, and was perhaps a rumor begun by opponents to dent the president’s crafted appearance of an all-powerful leader. As eight years have passed since speculation began, it remains unclear whether Obiang continues to suffer, if he was able to beat the cancer, or if the illness existed at all.

Source: NewInt.org, Poisoned Wells: The Dirty Politics of African Oil

Wikimedia.org
Wikimedia.org

Despite Obiang’s poor track record with regard to human rights and transparency, few world leaders have condemned Equatorial Guinea’s president

Obiang has enjoyed close relations with many international leaders, including the United States, and has rarely been condemned on the world stage. Despite Equatorial Guinea’s low ranking on Transparency International —the country is ranked 163 out of 177 on the Corruption Perceptions Index, making it in the 1% of most corrupt countries in the world — and frequent allegations of torture, human rights abuses and more committed at the hands of the president’s administration, Obiang has not received nearly the negative press that other African leaders such as Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe or Sudan’s Omar Al-Bashir. In fact, President Obama most recently invited him as an honored guest to the 2014 African Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., a controversial move that angered many human rights activists.

Source: Transparency.org