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US and EU react to coup in Gabon

2023-08-31 18:50:09, Kosova & Bota CNA

The military junta in the African nation of Gabon seized power, ousted and placed President Ali Bongo under house arrest and appointed a general as the country's new leader.

General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, head of the Republican Guard, was appointed president of the interim committee. Mr. Oligui is Mr. Bongo's cousin. He had served as a bodyguard to Mr. Bongo's father, former President Omar Bongo, and headed the intelligence service before being appointed head of the presidential guard.

Army officers who led the uprising announced the coup after the state electoral commission declared Mr Bongo the winner of a third presidential term in Saturday's election. The military junta annulled the election results, dissolved institutions and closed all borders until further notice.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bongo appeared in a video and appealed for support.

"I'm in the residence. I don't know what's going on. Therefore, I call on you to make noise, make noise, make noise,” Mr. He says.

But the crowds that flooded the streets of the capital, Libreville, celebrated the news of the coup. Some of the participants expressed their satisfaction that the Bongo family was ousted from power.

"It is the liberation of the whole country, something I dreamed of, something I saw in Western countries, and which has now become a reality for us, the citizens of Gabon. We are proud and very happy that the army has decided to defend justice and we thank God for this. In Gabon, there is God, and God has answered our prayers,” said Mr. Max Beni, a resident of Libreville.

President Bongo assumed the presidency in 2009 after the death of his father, who had ruled oil-rich Gabon for 42 years.

The United States said Wednesday it is concerned about developments in Gabon.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the United States "will continue to support the people in the region, continue to be supportive of the citizens of Gabon and their demand for democratic governance."

"Obviously it is very disturbing to see another country where military officers have taken dangerous and reckless steps in trying to take power from democratically elected governments," Mr Kirby stated.

European Union foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell said the European Union does not plan to evacuate European citizens from Gabon, and said the military junta's coup preceded the country's irregular general election.

"Obviously, a coup is not a solution. But, we must not forget that in Gabon, previously, elections were held full of irregularities and that there are military coups and there are institutional coups," he declared.

"We currently have no plans to evacuate from Gabon. The situation is calm and we do not see any risk of escalation of violence, or of a situation that would constitute a danger... There are about 10,000 European citizens in Gabon, but no country has expressed any concern,” said Mr. Borrell.

Some information in this report was obtained from Reuters news agency and Associated Press./ VOA