GUINEA ECUATORIAL
— Officially: República de Guinea Ecuatorial; République de Guinée Équatoriale; República da Guiné Equatorial.
— English: Equatorial Guinea.
— Seat of government: Malabo.
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Autocracy under current president.
— Governing party: Partido Democrático de Guinea Ecuatorial.
— Head of government: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, president.
— Chief opposition party: Convergencia para la Democracia Social, led by Plácido Micó Abago.
— Recent history: The first post-independence president was Francisco Macías Nguema (1968-79), who worked to establish an absolute dictatorship, using extreme brutality and acting erratically, killing tens of thousands, including family members and allies. Macías was overthrown and executed by his nephew and subordinate, Obiang Nguema (1979-). Nguema’s rule has been less brutal, but is still autocratic. Sham elections have been held regularly since 1982; Nguema is routinely credited with 97-9% of the official vote, even in contested races. Elections are marked by military supervision, intimidation, imprisonment of opposition candidates, boycotts, and even the absence of a secret ballot. Micó has been imprisoned, once on a forced confession. At one point state radio and a presidential aide compared Obiang Nguema to God, and said that he is entitled to kill without accountability.
— FH: 7-7, not free. Econ: 2.19 (155), authoritarian.
— Updated: 2015 February 22.
O.T. FORD