On Tuesday, 26 November, the European Commission called for restraint from all parties involved in the electoral process in Mozambique, deploring the spread of violence and considering that the ‘brutality of the repression’ of the demonstrations exacerbated the situation, the Lusanews agency reported .
In front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France), the Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, said that the European Union could ‘speak frankly’ with the government: ‘We cannot remain silent, given the situation.’
‘Since the elections on 9 October we have seen the violence spread, and the brutality of the repression by the police has exacerbated the situation. We deplore the deaths in recent weeks and the murder of two politicians,’ said Helena Dalli, insisting that the European Union demands an investigation and “clarity on the facts” about the murders of Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe.
Helena Dalli made a request on behalf of Ursula Von Der Leyen’s Executive: ‘It is imperative that all sides maintain restraint and orderly behaviour, it is important that everyone’s voice is heard, and the disproportionate use of force and violence perpetrated by all sides must stop.’
The commissioner explained that ‘the electoral process is far from over’ and warned that the European Union would remain vigilant until after the result was known.
Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane has called for demonstrations, which have degenerated into clashes with the police – who have used tear gas and gunfire to disperse the demonstrators – to contest the results of the 9 October general elections announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE), which have yet to be validated by the Constitutional Council.
On 24 October, the CNE announced the victory of Daniel Chapo, a candidate supported by the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo), with 70.67% of the vote, and second place, with 20.32% of the vote, went to Venâncio Mondlane, a former Renamo MP supported by the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos).
According to the Decide Electoral Platform, at least 67 people died and another 210 were shot in last month’s demonstrations.
