PALOP finally free from the death penalty.
In an unexpected twist, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the president of Equatorial Guinea, sanctioned a new penal code and abolished the death penalty. In this way, the PALOP are exempt from the death penalty.
The fact that Equatorial Guinea still provided for the death penalty in its penal code was one of the reasons why its entry into the CPLP, and consequently into the PALOP, took longer, as many of the other members, they did not want in their midst a country that still disrespected life in this way.
The controversial accession
Portugal resisted as long as it could to the entry of Equatorial Guinea into CPLP. In 2010, at the Luanda summit, he gained time with a moratorium. In 2012, in Maputo, she resisted. A roadmap, minimum requirements were established: the end of the death penalty and measures to promote the use of Portuguese. But in 2014, given the ultimatum from Angola and Brazil, he ended up giving in.
Equatorial Guinea's entry into the CPLP was so controversial that the institution it received was about to collapse due to its membership, since Portugal's presence in the CPLP "was at risk", if it had not given the green card to its entry. .
After years of Portuguese resistance, and with the Dili summit approaching, negotiations became more difficult. Dilma Rousseff and José Eduardo dos Santos, respectively presidents of Brazil and Angola, forced entry. With a threat: if Portugal had insisted on saying no, the other countries would form a “legal union, PALOP plus Brazil”.
Dilma Rousseff's determination was such that Brazil wanted Equatorial Guinea to take over the presidency of the CPLP at the Dili summit.
In Portugal the matter was widely discussed at the highest level, it was concluded that either they accepted that the CPLP would change radically, or they were left with the burden of its implosion. Digesting the decision was not easy.
However, the economic issue was too heavy to stop the process. Especially in a CPLP with increasing identity problems and with difficulty in imposing itself in a world increasingly organized in regional blocks.
The CPLP sought to become one of the most important oil blocks, especially when “50% of the oil reserves discovered in recent years come from these countries. For the dream to come true, Equatorial Guinea was central, as it is the third largest oil producer in Africa, after Angola and Nigeria.
The news of abolition
A state television journalist called the event "historic for our country" in a brief announcement at the end of a news program.
The news was published on Facebook by the country's vice president, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, where he wrote:
“I am writing in capital letters to seal this unique moment: EQUATORIAL GUINEA ABOLISHED THE DEATH PENALTY”.
The measure will take effect within 90 days of its publication in the state's official journal and was approved in advance by parliament, where all but one of the 100 lawmakers represent the ruling party.
The last official execution in the country took place in 2014, according to Amnesty International, after its accession to the CPLP, but international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations have regularly accused the regime of forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture.
President Obiang, 80, has been in power for more than 43 years, a world record if we exclude monarchies.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that this is a historic moment for the PALOP, for the CPLP and for the world. However, it must be borne in mind that the death penalty remains legal in more than 30 African countries, despite the fact that in about half, no executions have taken place in recent years.
We must not forget that unfortunately, there are still 73 countries in the world that practice the death penalty, and one of them is the “famous bulwark of democracy and freedom”, commonly known as the United States of America.
What do you think of this? Is it time to end the death penalty in the world or is it needed? We want to know your opinion, do not hesitate to comment and if you liked the article, share and give a “like/like”.
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Picture: © 2022 Francisco Lopes-Santos
