Plácido Micó Abogo
Encyclopedia
Plácido Micó Abogo is an Equatoguinean
politician. He has been the Secretary-General of the Convergence for Social Democracy
(CPDS), an opposition political party in Equatorial Guinea, since 1994.
Micó Abogo was a founding member of the CPDS and was Secretary of Administration and Finance of the CPDS Provisional Executive Committee during the early 1990s. He was arrested after copies of the CPDS paper La Verdad, which he and Celestino Bonifacio Bacalé
wanted sent to Spain, were intercepted at the airport in Malabo
in February 1992. He was jailed for about four months and was allegedly tortured.
In December 1994, at the Constitutive Congress of the CPDS, held in Bata
, Plácido Micó Abogo was chosen as Secretary-General. He was re-elected to that post at the party's Second National Congress in February 2001 and at its Third National Congress on 28–30 January 2005.
Plácido Micó Abogo was the only CPDS candidate to win a seat in the Chamber of People's Representatives
in the 1999 parliamentary election
. He was arrested in May 2002, placed under house arrest, and charged in connection with a 1997 coup plot. In June 2002, he was sentenced to 14 years and eight months in prison; however, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema pardoned him in August 2003.
In the April 2004 parliamentary election
, Micó Abogo was re-elected to the Chamber of People's Representatives as a CPDS candidate in Malabo
; he was one of two CPDS candidates to win seats. He was again re-elected in the May 2008 parliamentary election
, but was left as the only representative of the opposition in the 100-seat Chamber of People's Representatives.
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais, published on July 11, 2008, he was strongly critical of the political situation in Equatorial Guinea, saying that "the opposition has no political presence. There are no unions or professional associations. There is no media that escapes the government's control", and he condemned the parliamentary election held in May as severely "violent and manipulated". He also accused the United States
of being complicit in the rule of President Obiang for the sake of its oil interests.
On October 16, 2009, it was announced that the next presidential election would be held on November 29, 2009, earlier than expected. Micó Abogo promptly denounced the move, arguing that "with such little time, it will be impossible to properly organise a political campaign in a country that lacks everything". Despite his criticism, he stood as a candidate in the election.
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...
politician. He has been the Secretary-General of the Convergence for Social Democracy
Convergence for Social Democracy
Convergence for Social Democracy is the only major opposition party in Equatorial Guinea.The CPDS is headed by a President and a Secretary-General, who are currently Santiago Obama Ndong and Plácido Micó Abogo, respectively...
(CPDS), an opposition political party in Equatorial Guinea, since 1994.
Micó Abogo was a founding member of the CPDS and was Secretary of Administration and Finance of the CPDS Provisional Executive Committee during the early 1990s. He was arrested after copies of the CPDS paper La Verdad, which he and Celestino Bonifacio Bacalé
Celestino Bonifacio Bacalé
Celestino Bonifacio Bacalé Obiang is an Equato-Guinean politician. He is the Secretary of International Relations and Cooperation of the Convergence for Social Democracy ....
wanted sent to Spain, were intercepted at the airport in Malabo
Malabo
Malabo is the capital of Equatorial Guinea, located on the northern coast of Bioko Island on the rim of a sunken volcano....
in February 1992. He was jailed for about four months and was allegedly tortured.
In December 1994, at the Constitutive Congress of the CPDS, held in Bata
Bata, Equatorial Guinea
Bata is a port city in the Litoral Province of Equatorial Guinea. With a 2005 estimated population of 173,046, it is the largest city in Equatorial Guinea. It lies on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Río Muni....
, Plácido Micó Abogo was chosen as Secretary-General. He was re-elected to that post at the party's Second National Congress in February 2001 and at its Third National Congress on 28–30 January 2005.
Plácido Micó Abogo was the only CPDS candidate to win a seat in the Chamber of People's Representatives
Chamber of People's Representatives
The unicameral House of People's Representatives of Equatorial Guinea is the country's legislative body....
in the 1999 parliamentary election
Equatorial Guinean legislative election, 1999
Legislative elections were held in Equatorial Guinea on 7 March 1999. They were won by the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, which took 75 of the 80 seats in the Chamber of People's Representatives.-Results:...
. He was arrested in May 2002, placed under house arrest, and charged in connection with a 1997 coup plot. In June 2002, he was sentenced to 14 years and eight months in prison; however, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema pardoned him in August 2003.
In the April 2004 parliamentary election
Equatorial Guinean legislative election, 2004
Legislative elections were held in Equatorial Guinea on 25 April 2004. They were won by the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, which took 68 of the 100 seats in the Chamber of People's Representatives....
, Micó Abogo was re-elected to the Chamber of People's Representatives as a CPDS candidate in Malabo
Malabo
Malabo is the capital of Equatorial Guinea, located on the northern coast of Bioko Island on the rim of a sunken volcano....
; he was one of two CPDS candidates to win seats. He was again re-elected in the May 2008 parliamentary election
Equatorial Guinean legislative election, 2008
An early legislative election was held in Equatorial Guinea on 4 May 2008, at the same time as local elections. The 100 seats in parliament, along with 230 local councillor seats, were to be elected....
, but was left as the only representative of the opposition in the 100-seat Chamber of People's Representatives.
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais, published on July 11, 2008, he was strongly critical of the political situation in Equatorial Guinea, saying that "the opposition has no political presence. There are no unions or professional associations. There is no media that escapes the government's control", and he condemned the parliamentary election held in May as severely "violent and manipulated". He also accused the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of being complicit in the rule of President Obiang for the sake of its oil interests.
On October 16, 2009, it was announced that the next presidential election would be held on November 29, 2009, earlier than expected. Micó Abogo promptly denounced the move, arguing that "with such little time, it will be impossible to properly organise a political campaign in a country that lacks everything". Despite his criticism, he stood as a candidate in the election.