Sao Tome and Principe President Calls for ‘Coup Attempted’ Investigation

The President of the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe this Sunday asked for an investigation to clarify Friday’s attack, given that it was a “coup attempt” by those who disagree with the election results.

“The scale of the act is not fully known. I appeal to all institutions with a request to conduct an investigation, to conduct the necessary investigations so that justice will prevail, so that all the causes and mutations of the act are discovered. know, because there is no doubt – what I know today and have information [é que] it was clearly an attempted coup against the institutions and their leaders,” said Carlos Vila Nova.

The head of state’s statements came after a meeting of the Supreme National Defense Council of Sao Tome and Principe, convened on an emergency basis to review the events that took place on November 25, when four civilian men attacked the headquarters of the country’s Armed Forces.

In a statement originally published on the Government page and later on the President’s page, Carlos Vila Nova emphasizes that the coup d’état was not carried out “for reasons that are not yet known”, and therefore it is necessary to “go to the depths of the issues” and “know all the details”.

The President of the Republic of Sao Tome stated that the case had already been taken to court and that the Judicial Police and the State Ministry were investigating under the separation of powers.

“I only hope that this will never happen again in the country, as I also hope that the motives, actions and reasons for this practice on the part of people who cannot accept the fact that they are not elected, are elected and respect what is popular manifestation through voting,” he explained.

The head of state spoke out “against any attempt to usurp constitutionally established power by force, with the use of weapons, preceding attacks by a military institution that protects democratically elected institutions” and “democratically elected bodies.”

“In view of the incidents that have taken place since the early morning of the 25th, in which there was clearly an attempt to overthrow the constitutional order with the invasion of the Morro barracks by persons not part of the unit, tense moments and some fears were experienced in the country. “, he stressed, mourning the loss of life.

The head of state of Sao Tome expressed “sympathy to the families of the victims” and congratulated the “firmness and prompt response of the armed forces to this organized act” and “good preparation”.

“No one is trying to break into the military barracks to find candy or other materials from there, it was the appropriation of military materials with the complicity of many elements within the force, which made the operation more complex and difficult,” he said.

Carlos Vila Nova also congratulated the authorities on their “ability to react” and the defense of the nation and democratically elected institutions.

In the early hours of Friday morning, four men attacked the Armed Forces barracks in the capital Sao Tome, an attack that lasted almost six hours, was accompanied by intense firefights and explosions, during which they seriously took an officer on duty hostage. injured in the attacks.

The attack was neutralized at 06:00 local time (the same time in Lisbon) on Friday, with the arrest of four attackers and several soldiers suspected of being involved in the action. The military also detained former National Assembly President Delfim Neves (who ended his term earlier this month) and Arlesio Costa, a former Buffalo Battalion officer convicted in 2009 of attempting a coup d’état. , attackers as principals.

Of the four attackers, three were killed, as well as the suspect Arlesio Costa.

Sao Tome Armed Forces Chief of Staff Olindo Paquete stated that the three attackers of the barracks died in the explosion and Arlesio Costa died because he “jumped out of the car” but guaranteed an investigation into the alleged attacks on the barracks. detainees.