Equatorial Guinea closes its embassy in London due to UK sanctions

Nairobi, July 26 (EFE) — Equatorial Guinea today announced the closure of its embassy in London, after the United Kingdom announced on July 22 sanctions for corruption against the country’s vice-president, known as “Teodorin” Obiang, Known as the son of the President. Teodoro Obiang.

“Equatorial Guinea has reacted with the closure of its diplomatic mission in London, as the first response to the British government’s arbitrary and baseless allegations against the second constitutional figure of the Equatorial Guinea executive,” the person affected, via Twitter, Teodoro Nguma Obiang unveils Mangu.

The country’s foreign minister, Shimon Oyono Asono, also confirmed via state television the closure of Equatorial Guinea’s diplomatic headquarters in the British capital.

According to the UK Foreign Office, Obiang was accused of involvement in bribing state funds into his private bank accounts, corrupt contracts and “financing a lavish lifestyle, inconsistent with his official salary as a minister”. has been punished for.

That includes buying a $100 million Paris mansion and a $38 million private jet.

With these sanctions, the United Kingdom confiscates assets and vetos possible visits by Obiang and other affected people – among whom is Alex Saab, the front man of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro – to guarantee that they The British cannot give their money through banks or properties.

Last Friday, the Equatorial Guinea executive rejected the sanctions through a statement, which she described as “unilateral and illegal”.

“The Vice President has never made any investment in the United Kingdom, nor has any legal case been filed for embezzlement of public funds in that country or in Equatorial Guinea for any reason whatsoever,” the executive said.

test for corruption

However, Obiang was sentenced by a French court “in absentia” in 2017 to three years in prison – a fine without the required compliance if there was a repeat offense – and a 30 million euro fine for embezzlement of public funds, Other lawsuits followed. For crimes of corruption in many countries.

As a result of that sentence, which “Teodorin” appealed without success after accusing him of interference of French justice in the internal affairs of the African country, the politician endured the embargo on more than 100 million euros worth of his assets in France, In which a mansion on select Avenue Foch in Paris and a collection of luxury cars.

On that occasion, the NGO Transparency International was at the core of the complaints that led to allegations against the vice president of Equatorial Guinea.

It is the second round of sanctions announced by London under its new global anti-corruption programme, after the first announced in April that 22 individuals, including some Latin Americans, were punished.

Since its independence from Spain in 1968, Equatorial Guinea has been regarded by human rights organizations as one of the most repressive countries in the world due to the arrests and allegations of torture of dissidents, and repeated complaints of election fraud.

Equatorial Guinea’s head of state, Teodoro Obiang, has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1979, when he overthrew his uncle Francisco Macias in a coup d’état, and is currently the president with the longest reign in the world. have been in. EFE

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