The Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, has accused France of attempting to destabilize his country, claiming that it supports opposition figures whom he describes as « instigators of hatred. »
In a message posted Monday on the X platform (formerly Twitter), the number two official of the regime reacted strongly to the nomination of Equatorial Guinean activist Alfredo Okenve for the Franco-German Human Rights Prize, announced on Saturday. Exiled in Spain, Okenve is regarded by the Malabo government as a « traitor » to the nation.
« France rewards those who sow division, encouraging them to disrupt peace and act against their own brothers, » the Vice President wrote. He accused Paris of being behind « all attempts to undermine peace in Equatorial Guinea. »
This statement marks a rare diplomatic attack on France, as relations between Malabo and several European capitals have become increasingly tense in recent years, particularly over issues of human rights and governance.