former President Armando Guebuza defends his govt decision to secretly borrow $2bn

Former president of Mozambique Armando Guebuza sat in court on Wednesday to defend his government’s decision to contract huge secret loans that triggered an economic crisis in the country.

The government led by Guebuza used $2 billion dollars to buy a tuna-fishing fleet and a surveillance vessels.

The former president defended his actions in a special court set up in the capital, Maputo.

“The decision to look for resources was taken by me by delegating the Operative command through our leaders” said former President, Armando Guebuza.

The government managed to hide the loans from parliament but the debt came to light in 2016, prompting donors including the International Monetary Fund to cut off financial support triggering an economic crisis in the country, one of the poorest in the world.

“We were working with structured organs, they were present at the proposal and it was discussed and when it was approved they could continue to working on it, and its execution”, added Guebuza.

Although the former president is not facing any charges his son Ndambi Guebuza is one of 19 high-profile defendants facing trial.

Ndambi Guebuza was arrested in february 2019 and has remained in detention since.

Last week, former interior minister Alberto Mondlane denounced the loans as the result of foreign interference in Mozambican affairs.

AN