File Photo: Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is seen at his arrival to the Viru Viru airport, ahead of his attendance at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum Summit, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, November 22, 2017.File Photo: Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is seen at his arrival to the Viru Viru airport, ahead of his attendance at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum Summit, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, November 22, 2017.
Observers expect no surprises. The 80-year-old Obiang has always been elected with over 90% of votes in polls whose fairness international observers have questioned given longstanding complaints by rights groups over a lack of political freedom. “The presidential election is completely devoid of suspense,” said Maja Bovcon, a senior Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.
The United States and the European Union called for a free and fair election in separate statements and raised concerns over reports of harassments and intimidation of the opposition and civil society groups.Equatorial Guinea has had only two presidents since independence from Spain in 1968. Obiang ousted his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema in a coup in 1979.