The President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema has promoted his son Teodorin Nguema Obiang to the position of Vice President in charge of defense and security, according to a decree read on Wednesday on state television.
“In accordance with the Basic Law of Equatorial Guinea, I appoint his Excellency Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue Vice President of the Republic,” the decree of President Obiang read.
Teodorin Nguema Obiang, who is 47 years old and a possible successor to his father, previously held the position of Second Vice President since 2012.
President Obiang made other appointments which follow a dissolution of the country’s government on June 17 after the presidential election of April 24 as provided by the Constitution.
The list of the remaining members of the new government will be known later this week.
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema has been in power since 1979 making him the worlds longest-serving president, having ruled for almost 37 years.
He was re-elected in April with 93.7% of votes. In previous elections, Teodoro Obiang Nguema had never won less than 97 percent of the vote. Perhaps the immense international scorn he has faced in recent years caused him to loosen his grip a bit.
Power has been in the family for Equatorial Guinea’s entire existence as an independent country. The current president toppled his uncle in a violent coup in 1979, before sentencing him to death by firing squad. Since then, he has consolidated his grip over the country’s industries and is accused of diverting tax money into his personal accounts.
The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.
In 2014, U.S. authorities forced Teodorín to relinquish his $30 million home in Malibu, Calif.; a Gulfstream jet; a Ferrari; and dozens of pieces of Michael Jackson memorabilia worth more than $1 million, all bought with money funneled through offshore bank accounts. Court documents reviewed by the Justice Department showed that Teodorín received an official salary of less than $100,000 but amassed more than $300 million in assets through corruption and money laundering.
“Through relentless embezzlement and extortion, Vice President Nguema Obiang shamelessly looted his government and shook down businesses in his country to support his lavish lifestyle, while many of his fellow citizens lived in extreme poverty,” Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell said at the time.
Teodorín was also under trial in France for fraudulently amassing wealth out of Equatorial Guinea’s public purse. The case was later dismissed.
