The governments of the United States, Britain, Canada, Norway, and Switzerland have condemned the escalating violence in Mozambique, following weeks of unrest sparked by disputed election results. In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the countries called on the Mozambican government to ensure that security forces protect civilians amid the ongoing protests.
The protests, which have intensified since last month’s election, are centered around allegations of electoral fraud. Opposition groups claim that the ruling Frelimo party, which has been in power since 1975, rigged the election to secure a victory for its candidate, Daniel Chapo. Chapo’s win has extended Frelimo’s decades-long rule, with Chapo succeeding President Filipe Nyusi as the country’s fifth president since independence.
Violence surged on Wednesday after footage emerged showing an armored vehicle running over a woman during a protest in Maputo, the capital. The Mozambican military issued a statement expressing regret, explaining that the vehicle, which was part of a marked convoy, “accidentally ran over a citizen.”
Following the incident, the five embassies urged the Mozambican authorities to conduct an investigation. Local monitoring group Plataforma Decide reported that at least 67 people have been killed in the unrest between mid-October and mid-November.
