Ngema Mbasogo, Teodoro Obiang

Theodoro Obiang Ngema Mbasogo was born on June 5, 1942 in Akoakan . Ethnicity - Fang ^[1] . Coming from the influential Esangui clan ^[2] . He graduated from school in Bath.

Since 1969, Theodoro Obiang was the commander of the Western Military District of the country, and in 1975 became the commander of the National Guard ^[1] . On January 8, 1976, he ordered the storming of the consulate of Nigeria , as a result of which 11 people were killed, and in December of that year he personally arrested more than a hundred civil officials who protested against his uncle’s economic policy ^[2] .

On August 3, 1979, Lt. Col. Theodoro Obiang led a military coup carried out by 400 mercenaries from Morocco , overthrowing the country's life president , his uncle Francisco Masias Nguemu ^[3] . The ousted president appeared before the court, which sentenced him to death on September 29, after which he was shot on the same day ^[4] . On October 12, Obiang became the new president of the country ^[2] .

In 1981, he received the military rank of colonel ^[3] . On August 15 of the following year, a referendum was held in the country, following which a new constitution was adopted ^[5] . Since January 1986, simultaneously the Minister of Defense of the country ^[1] .

In 1991, vast oil reserves were discovered offshore in the territorial waters of Equatorial Guinea ^[6] . On November 17 of the same year, a new constitution was adopted at a referendum, which established a multi-party system ^{[5] [7]} .

On February 25, 1996, the country held presidential elections, the victory of which was won by the only candidate Teodoro Obiang Ngema, who won 97.85% of the vote ^[5] . The opposition then boycotted the election ^[5] . In the next presidential election on December 15, 2002 , he was re-elected, gaining 97.1% of the vote ^[8] .

A cult of the president’s personality flourishes in the country. In 2003, state-owned radio announced that Theodoro Obiang Ngema was “like God in heaven” and “in constant contact with the Almighty,” with the president having “all power over people and things” ^[9] . In 2007, he proposed a constitutional amendment, adding a third official language, Portuguese , to Spanish and French . ^[7]

Coup Attempts

On March 6, 2004, at the airport in Harare ( Zimbabwe ), the authorities of the republic arrested Briton Simon Mann, who met a Boeing-727 with 64 passengers flying from South Africa ^{[6] [10]} . It soon became clear that the passengers of this plane were mercenaries who flew to Equatorial Guinea to participate in the overthrow of Theodoro Obiang Nguema. A few days later, 15 foreign citizens were arrested in Equatorial Guinea, accused of trying to overthrow the president of the country ^[11] , 11 of which the court sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, 1 died during the investigation (according to some, from torture), and the rest were justified ^[6] . The son of Margaret Thatcher , Mark, was involved in the conspiracy, who in 2005 admitted to assisting in the acquisition of a helicopter that could be used to carry out the conspiracy ^[12] . However, he noted that he did not know anything about the plans of the conspirators ^[6] . The Briton arrested in Zimbabwe also stated in court that the coup was related to Spain , the USA and South Africa, and the Lebanese oil tycoon Elila Kalila was the main organizer ^[6] .

On January 17, 2009, a group of armed men, boating on the island of Bioko , attacked the presidential palace, but during the ensuing skirmish one of the attackers was killed ^[13] . At first, authorities blamed the members of the Movement for the Liberation of the Niger Delta , then Faustino Ondo Ebangu, the former leader of the People’s Union opposition party. On August 21, 2010, the court, convicted of organizing an attack, as well as terrorism and high treason, sentenced captain Jose Abeso Nsue Nchamu, his deputy Manuel Ndong Ansemé, ex-head of the country's customs Hakinto Misha Obiangu and a security officer to death President Alipio Ndong Asumu ^[13] . Shortly after sentencing, the defendants were executed ^[14] . Teodoro Obiang Ngema said: “These people were a threat to me, my family and my government. Therefore, the proceedings against them were quick ” ^[15] .

Obiang is currently suffering from cancer, and his heir is being considered. The president’s son, Theodore Obiang, Jr. (better known as Theodorin) is suspected by the US authorities of corruption : he owns a luxurious villa in Malibu , California , which he purchased for $ 35 million. Theodore transferred through the central bank of France in 2005-2006 . to US banks, a large amount of money that he illegally appropriated while working as his father’s government Secretary of Agriculture and Timber Industry ^[16] .

Theodoro Obiang Ngemu Mbasogo often appointed his relatives to the highest government posts.

• Theodor Ngema Obiang Mangu - the son of the president from his first marriage ^[17] , at different times worked as Minister of Forest, Fisheries and the Environment (2001-2003), Minister of Infrastructure and Forest (2003-2004), and since 2004 he has been the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and forests ^[18] .
• Gabriel Mbega Obiang Lima, the son of the president from his second marriage ^[17] , was the Secretary of State for mining and hydrocarbons (2001-2004), then was appointed deputy minister of mining, industry and energy ^[19] .
• Antonio Mba Ngema - the younger brother of the president, worked as the director general of the police ^[17] , and in 2004 he became Minister of National Defense ^[20] .
• Alejandro Evuna Ovono Asangono - paternal uncle, was the head of the presidential administration in the rank of minister ^[17] .
• Demetrio Elo Ndong Nsefumu - paternal uncle ^[17] , from 2003 to 2006 served as First Deputy Prime Minister for Domestic Politics and at the same time Minister of Transport, Technology, Post and Telecommunications (2003-2006) ^[21] .
• Jaime Obama Ovono Nchama - paternal uncle ^[17] , served as Minister of Infrastructure and Forests (2003-2004) ^[22] .
• Ruben Nsue Maye - cousin ^[17] , worked as Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs (2001-2004) ^[23] .
• Cristobal Menana Ala is a cousin ^[17] , in 2001 he was appointed Minister of Mining and Energy, and in 2004 - Minister of Education, Science and Sports ^[24] .
• Pastor Micha Ondo Biele, a cousin ^[17] , in 2003 became Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Relations with French-speaking Countries ^[25] .
• Teresa Efa Asangono, a cousin ^[17] , headed the Ministry of Social Affairs and Women's Affairs (2001-2004), then became the Equatorial Guinea Ambassador to Cuba (since 2006) ^[26] .
• Balthazar Engong Edge - nephew ^[17] , worked as Minister of Economics of Equatorial Guinea (2001-2004) ^[27] .
• Melhor Esono Ejo - a nephew ^[17] , is the Secretary of State for Treasury and Budget ^[28] .

Relatives of the president’s wife also received key posts in the state.

• Marcelino Marcelino Oyono Ntutumu - the wife’s brother ^[17] , was appointed Minister of Transport and Communications in 2001, and in 2004 First Deputy Prime Minister for Domestic Politics, remaining in this position until 2006 ^[29] .
• Lucas Nguema Evono Mbang - the brother of his wife ^[17] , headed the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (2001-2003), then the Ministry of Youth and Sports (2003-2004) ^[30] .
• Francisco Edu Okomo - the brother of his wife, became deputy minister of national security ^[17] .
• Victoriana Nchama Nse Okomo - wife's sister ^[17] , worked as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (2003) ^[31] .

• Theodoro Obiang Ngema Mbasogo, according to the American magazine Parade, in 2003 was ranked sixth in the top ten worst dictators of our time ^[32] .
• Currently, if you do not take into account the Queen of Great Britain , the Sultan of Brunei and the Sultan of Oman (who are monarchs ), Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo takes the first place in the world in terms of length of stay as head of state among the current heads of state.
• According to Forbes magazine in 2006, Obiang’s fortune was estimated at $ 600 million, and he himself ranked eighth in the list of the richest rulers of the world ^[33] .
• North Korea in 2013 awarded Theodoro Obiang Ngema Mbasogo Kim Jong Il Prize ^[34]
• On June 6, 2011, Theodoro Obiang Ngema Mbasogo met in the Kremlin with Russian President Dmitry A. Medvedev . The parties signed an agreement on military-technical cooperation. ^[35]
• The Russian television channel "Russia 24" made a documentary film "Guinean Shelf" on the cooperation of Russia and Equatorial Guinea. The film includes cuts from an interview with the president of the country . ^[36]
• He is an honorary doctor ("doctor honoris causa") of the National University of Equatorial Guinea .
• In September 2016, the editor-in-chief of the Liberian newspaper New Democrat was detained for publishing an article accusing Teodoro Obiang Ngem Mbasogo of cannibalism ^[37] .

• Theodoro Obiang Ngema Mbasogo

• Alexander Smoltczyk, Torture and Poverty in Equatorial Guinea , Spiegel Online