It may be one of the more bizarre stories from Africa, a continent familiar with bizarre stories. In 2004 there was an attempted coup in West Africa's oil-rich Equatorial Guinea. In Africa, alas, coups are not weird. especially when they come against autocrats such as President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled since 1979 when he took power in a coup of his own. But there was more detail that made the Equatorial Guinea story more than your run-of-the-mill tale of woe and violence and misrule, including the involvement of Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
British mercenary Simon Mann is on trial in Malabo for his role in the coup attempt. He is pulling no punches, accusing the United States, South Africa, and Spain, among others, of having provided tacit support for what has come to be known as the Wonga Coup. Mann also has provided great detail into Mark Thatcher's role in the conspiracy.
Because of the country's oil riches the West has taken great interest in Equatorial Guinea. Shockingly, the country is fourth among sub-Saharan African nations in the amount of aid received from the United States, behind only giants South Africa, Nigeria, and Angola. The country's oil production has increased more than tenfold in the last dozen years. None of this means that Mann, who is, after all, trying to save himself, is correct in his assertions. but then again, just because he is trying to stay out of prison does not mean that he is wrong. And it would not exactly be uncharacteristic of the western powers to be involved in a coup that would also facilitate their access to African resources.
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On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
