The U.S. government condemned the recent killings of two opposition figures in Mozambique, who were shot by gunmen ahead of planned protests against a disputed election result. In a statement released on Monday, Washington urged “a swift and thorough investigation into the murders.”
The United States is Mozambique’s largest bilateral donor, providing over $560 million in annual assistance, according to the U.S. State Department. This financial support highlights the importance of political stability in the southern African nation.
The U.S. condemnation follows similar statements from the European Union and Portugal, Mozambique’s former colonial ruler. The deceased, opposition lawyer Elvino Dias and Podemos parliamentary candidate Paulo Guambe, were attacked while traveling in their vehicle on Saturday, suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
“The United States condemns the killings of lawyer Elvino Dias and Podemos parliamentary candidate Paulo Guambe in Mozambique,” the U.S. State Department affirmed. “We join the calls made by all four of Mozambique’s national political parties in urging a swift and thorough investigation.”
In a related development, Mozambique police responded to protests in the capital, Maputo, on Monday by deploying tear gas and live ammunition against demonstrators who had gathered at the scene of the shootings. These protests followed a contentious national election held on October 9, with early results indicating that the ruling party, Frelimo, is poised for another victory. Opposition candidates have accused the government of orchestrating a rigged election.
Frelimo has been in power since 1975 and faces allegations of electoral fraud from opposition leaders, civil society, and election observers, all of which the party denies. The U.S. State Department has urged Mozambique’s state institutions, political leaders, citizens, and stakeholders to resolve electoral disputes peacefully and lawfully, emphasizing the rejection of violence and inflammatory rhetoric.
