Maximum tension in Mozambique, in the midst of a post-electoral confrontation

High tension on Thursday, November 7 in Mozambique: thousands of protesters invaded the streets of Maputo at the request of the main opposition, Venancio Mondlane, who denounces the results of the elections and continues his confrontation with the ruling party from abroad.

Carrying banners with the image of their leader, thousands of people went to one of the capital’s arteries, where they were stopped by tear gas fired by police officers in uniform supported by armored vehicles, journalists from Agence France-Presse reported. (AFP). “There is a revolutionary atmosphere, an atmosphere that shows that we are on the verge of a unique historical and political transition in the country”Venancio Mondlane said Thursday in an interview with AFP.

The opponent denounces fraud and claims victory in the general elections of October 9, an election marked by multiple irregularities according to international observers, and where the official results credited him with 20% of the votes.

this day “liberation of Mozambique”as he called it, continues several weeks of protests led since the proclaimed victory of Frelimo, the party in power for almost fifty years in this southern African country. The demonstration, divided into six processions, must converge towards the presidency.

At least twenty dead

“The objective is not at all to take power by force, nor to carry out any type of coup d’état”Mondlane specified, while warning that “The fight will continue until justice is restored”.

On Tuesday, the Minister of Defense, Cristovao Chume, threatened to send the army to put an end to these demonstrations whose objective, according to him, is to overthrow the Government. At least twenty people died in the post-election violence, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. “These are not deaths, they are murders”denounced Venancio Mondlane, accusing Frelimo of remaining in power “by force” and the “state terrorism”.

With Mozambican flags in their hands and tap dancing on their feet, a dense crowd responded to the meeting offered by “Venancio”as his young and connected electorate calls him.

After announcing his participation, Mondlane, a 50-year-old former television presenter, told AFP that he would ultimately not be in Maputo on Thursday, adding that he had left the continent out of fear for his safety. “Everyone, in 99% of the messages, dissuaded me from going to Maputo. (…) Some even told me that I was worth more alive than dead.”he explained.

“Unjustified alterations of results”

Now the classic posters “Povo no poder” (“the people in power”) with their arms outstretched, listen to their supporters. “Pressure the center of power”explained the opponent, who allied himself with the modest Podemos party after failing to take the leadership of the historic opposition faction Renamo.

According to the Mozambique Bar Association, “The conditions are ripe for a bloodbath” THURSDAY. Its president called“cancellation of elections” any “put on the table”. This reaction came after the warning issued to protesters by the Minister of Defense on Tuesday. “If the escalation of violence continues, the armed forces will have to protect the interests of the State” facing this “intention to change the democratically established power”Chume warned the press.

According to the anti-corruption NGO Center for Public Integrity (CIP), the general elections of October 9 are “the most fraudulent since 1999”. Election observers reported irregularities before, during and after the vote. The European Union mission noted in particular “unjustified alterations of results”pointing out that, in a third of the counts observed, the figures “didn’t match”.