Catholic World News News Feature

Pope meets president of Equatorial Guinea December 09, 2005

General Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the president of Equatorial Guinea, met with Pope Benedict XVI in a private audience on December 9.

The Pope spoke with the leader of the former Spanish colony for about 15 minutes. After that meeting, General Mbasogo also spoke with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Angelo Sodano. The Vatican did not release any statement about the topics discussed.

Equatorial Guinea, a small country on the western coast of central Africa, is divided into two parts. Most of the land is on the African mainland, between Gabon and Cameroon; but an island off Cameroon, where the capital city of Malabo is located, is also included.

The African country, which has a Catholic majority, gained its independence in 1968. General Mbasogo came to power in October 1979, in a coup that ousted his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema. His government is authoritarian, with most important government posts held by his relatives. He has been re-elected to power three times, never facing serious opposition.