LUANDA, ANGOLA: Mozambican opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane was detained on Thursday morning upon arrival at the Luanda airport in Angola. Mondlane, had traveled to the country at the invitation of Angola’s main opposition party, UNITA.
He was not alone in facing detention. Former Botswana President Ian Seretse Khama and former Colombian President Andrés Pastrana Arango were also stopped upon their arrival. Their visit was linked to UNITA’s 59th anniversary celebrations, which included an international conference aimed at discussing democratic governance and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
“This is clearly an action ordered by the MPLA, Frelimo’s sister party, to prevent the participation of international figures with great ideas in matters of exercising democratic freedoms,” a source stated, pointing to the ruling party’s long-standing grip on power.
Observers argue that the detentions reflect a broader pattern of crackdowns on opposition figures across the region, particularly against those advocating for reforms.
(Source: VM7 Channel)
