Equatorial Guinea has accused Spain, France, and the United States of "interfering" in the African country's presidential and legislative elections scheduled for November 20.
Malabo's concern is related to the three countries sending diplomats to a campaign meeting held by one of the only two opposition movements authorized to present candidates.
Supporting Photos
According to photos released by the government, Spanish, French, and US diplomats attended the meeting of the Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS), an opposition party in Equatorial Guinea.
The campaign for the presidential, legislative, senatorial, and municipal elections officially began on Thursday. The governing Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea's (PDGE) candidate is President Teodoro Obiang, who was re-elected in 2016 after securing 93.7% of the vote.
His only challengers are Andres Esono Ondo, representing the CPDS, and Buenaventura Monsuy Asumu, candidate of the Social Democratic Coalition Party (PCSD), which was allied with the PDGE in previous elections.
Mr. Esono Ondo is running for the first time, while for Mr. Monsuy Asumu, it is the third time. He was a candidate in 2002, 2009, and 2016 with little electoral success. The opposition has called him a "stooge" of President Obiang.
Ned Price ‘Concerned’ About Opposition Members' Arrest
On Thursday, US State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted that Washington was "concerned about reports of arrests and harassment of members of the opposition and civil society," and urged Malabo to hold "free and fair elections," encouraging the government to "promote a more inclusive, peaceful and democratic society by allowing the expression of diverse political views."
President Obiang holds the world record for the longest tenure of a living head of state (except for monarchs), seeking a sixth term at the age of 80.
The PDGE holds 99 of the 100 seats in the outgoing National Assembly, and all 55 seats in the Senate.
Nearly 428,000 voters are registered for the November 20 elections out of a population of 1.4 million.