Equatorial Guinea announced on Wednesday 14 June 2023 that it had ordered the “preventive seizure” of 80 billion CFA francs (over 120 million euros) of assets of four Brazilian companies established in the country after a diplomatic dispute in 2018.
According to AFP, in September 2018, more than $16 million (around €14.7 million) in cash and jewellery had been seized by the Brazilian authorities in the luggage of a delegation accompanying the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mango.
Known as Teodorin, he is the son of Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been running the country since 1979, the world record for longevity in power for a head of state living outside monarchy.
As the delegation was not on an official mission, only Teodorin enjoyed diplomatic immunity and the other 11 members of the delegation had their luggage searched by the Brazilian customs and were interrogated, had at the time indicated Brazilian media.
Brazilian law prohibits entry into the country with a quantity of species greater than 10,000 reais (about 1,900 euros).
Since that incident, the Equatorial Guinea Public Prosecutor’s Office had filed a claim for “damages” before the Equato-Guinean courts after learning “The seizure, appraisal and auction of goods of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, including the property that houses the diplomatic services in the city of Sao Paulo,” says a statement issued by the Equatorial Guinea-Vice Presidency on Wednesday.
The Equatorial Guinean justice has granted this request and recognized an injury of 80 billion CFA francs (121.8 million euros) to the benefit of Equatorial Guinea which may be compensated by the “preventive seizure of property” of four Brazilian construction companies “owned by the State”: ARG, LTDA, ZAGOPE, and OAS GE, says the Vice-President.
The injury may also be “charged against the credit balances” of these companies to the public administration, adds the same source.
The Brazilian authorities have not acted on AFP’s demands in the immediate future.
“Finally, after five years, Equatorial Guinea has done justice thanks to its own institutions after the diplomatic incident in Campinas (Sao Paulo State), in Brazil in 2018,” Teodorin said on Twitter.
