Demonstrators today occupied National Road 4, near the Ressano Garcia border crossing, blocking traffic on the largest land crossing between Mozambique and South Africa, in the first of three days of protests called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane.
The border, about 90 kilometres from Maputo, reopened completely on Saturday, after clashes caused by protesters that restricted the passage for about a week, which led to a police reinforcement on the border perimeter, whose access has once again been occupied by protesters since early this morning.
Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane called for a new period of national demonstrations in Mozambique, lasting three days, starting today, in all provincial capitals, including Maputo, to protest the electoral process.
"We will demonstrate at the borders, at the ports and in the provincial capitals (...). We will paralyze all activities so that people understand that they are tired", Venâncio Mondlane appealed on Monday, regarding the "fourth stage" of protests against the general elections of 9 October.
The protest has been extended to the country's ports and borders, and to the transport corridors that connect these infrastructures, and truck drivers are asked to join in: "We are not forcing anyone to join the demonstration. We are passing on the demonstration fees and whoever wants to can join."
The general commander of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), Bernardino Rafael, said on Tuesday that there must be an "end" to the demonstrations and strikes, referring to them as "urban terrorism" with the intention of "altering the constitutional order."
"It is urgent to say enough to the violent demonstrations that tend to sabotage major projects that the country achieved during independence and that are the hope of the next generation," declared Bernardino Rafael.
On Tuesday, Mozambican businesspeople estimated the losses caused in ten days of strikes and demonstrations called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane at 24.8 billion meticais (354 million euros), with 151 business units vandalized.
"With these demonstrations accompanied by the shutdown of economic activity, we have seen that the trade, logistics and transport sectors were the most affected, with total losses and impact on GDP (Gross Domestic Product) totaling 24.8 billion meticais (354 million euros), which is around 2.2% of our GDP," declared the president of the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA), Agostinho Vuma.
The Mozambican Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) has already opened 208 criminal proceedings to hold accountable the "moral and material" perpetrators of the violence in the post-election demonstrations, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) also announced on Tuesday, holding presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane responsible.
The PGR states that, "within the scope of its constitutional and legal powers", the MP "has been instituting legal proceedings, aiming to hold the "moral and material" perpetrators and "accomplices of these acts" criminally accountable.
"To date, 208 criminal proceedings have been initiated, investigating homicides, bodily harm, damage, incitement to collective disobedience, as well as conspiracy or conspiracy to commit crimes against the security of the State and violent alteration of the rule of law", it reads.
Mozambique, and especially Maputo, the capital, have experienced work stoppages and demonstrations called since October 21 by Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognize the results of the general elections announced by the National Electoral Commission, which gave victory to Daniel Chapo and the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the ruling party).
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