Saturday, November 09, 2013

Should they be going?

I read this morning that the Spanish football team have agreed to play a friendly game in Equatorial Guinea. Although they will not receive financial compensation, they will be staying in the luxury resort town of Sipopo and will be treated like royalty.

The country ranks 45th out of 52 in the index of African governance. It has suffered a regime of torture for political opponents at the hands of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo  - the longest serving president in Africa. He is accused of plundering the oil wealth of the country whilst at the same time keeping the majority of the population poor.

No matter how friendly and cooperative Obiang is towards Spain, is it right for the country to be seen to support such a repressive regime?

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