Mozambique: ‘Security reasons’ stop Mondlane meeting Portugal’s foreign minister – report

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Mozambique: ‘Security reasons’ stop Mondlane meeting Portugal’s foreign minister – report

12:34 CAT | 17 Jan 2025

File photo: RTP

Portugal’s foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, will no longer meet with Venâncio Mondlane during his visit to Maputo, the Mozambican presidential candidate having “withdrawn” for “security reasons”, a source close to the Mozambican politician told Lusa.

“Yesterday (Wednesday) there was an escalation of violence, and, due to security issues, he [Mondlane] had to keep safe, which led to the meeting not taking place, also taking into account the busy schedule of the Portuguese foreign minister,” a source close to Venâncio Mondlane told Lusa.

On Wednesday, after the inauguration ceremony of Daniel Chapo as the fifth President of the Republic of Mozambique, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said that Portugal was available to help mediate the post-election crisis in Mozambique, while believing that this would not be necessary.

“I think that the process may even dispense with this aid, or at least formal mediation, because all parties seem to me, sincerely, from what I can witness, especially now that I am here – but also before that, from contacts I had made – that there is a real desire to turn this crisis into an opportunity,” Rangel said.

The head of Portuguese diplomacy also confirmed that he planned to meet Venâncio Mondlane, who has called for successive strikes and demonstrations against the results of the Mozambican general elections of October 9, during his stay in Maputo.

“We will also speak to him, for sure, that is planned. We plan to speak to everyone and, therefore, for sure, Portugal is always willing to help. We cannot replace each other, obviously, in any way, we do not want to interfere in Mozambique’s sovereignty, but we believe that there is an opportunity here to create an agenda of consensus, of reforms on the one hand institutional and on the other hand certainly economic and social,” he said.

The inauguration ceremony was marked by renewed clashes between the police and supporters of presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognize the election results, with at least five deaths reported in Maputo.

Paulo Rangel acknowledged that Portugal has a “special position” in this post-election process due to its “deep historical and cultural ties”. “We obviously have a role to play in helping. The European Union has been very much in tune with Portugal’s positions. Just look at the statements that have been issued, and we are obviously an important interlocutor there. The CPLP (Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries) can also play a role,” Rangel said.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane had accused the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs of bias and of “manipulating” public opinion when he said that he had been following the post-election process in Mozambique. When asked by journalists about these statements, Paulo Rangel downplayed them, viewing them “with great fair play”.

“I understand that in this context people express their opinions freely and, therefore, Portugal’s objective, as I have said from the beginning, is to adopt a very constructive stance, an attitude, to facilitate dialogue, to create a willingness to help, if that is desired and if that is necessary, and, therefore, it is with this constructive, responsible stance, of a brother country, that we are here. And, therefore, the small, I would say, everyday things do not interfere with that,” he stressed.

Paulo Rangel insisted that in this process, marked by demonstrations and post-election tensions that have already caused more than 300 deaths and 600 gunshot wounds since October 21, “dialogue is necessary from this moment on”.

Source: Lusa